So Much For My Happy Ending
by IloveRossRikerandRydelLynchR5
Summary: What if you’re used to having everything go your way? What if that changed one day, and nothing went right for you? What would you do? Interested? Read on...
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is my first fanfic ever, so let me know what you think. I've been reading fanfics for a while, and felt inspired by all the fanfics out there. You guys are amazing writers, and I felt like writing something, since I've always wanted to be a writer but never thought I'd be good enough. I'm always looking for more ideas, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to email them to me and I'll see how I can use them. I'll try and stick to the storyline so far, but will changesit if I think it sounds more interesting another way. As always, read and review (but please don't be too harsh – lol!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star, or any of the characters, even though I'd love to own Tim Rozon and Alexz Johnson. They totally rock and would be so cool to hang out with (even though I don't know how nice they are in real life, since I've never met them. But then again, how many of us have?

Oh yeah, this takes place during the Instant Star competition.

Chapter 1

I'd always wondered who would be the next biggest thing, right after S to the H to the A to the Y (and Darius, who could forget him? Not that I'd want to admit that he had talent, but he just wasn't right for G Major's image). And Eden? I thought she was just another bleach-blonde, push-up bra'd wannabe pop-star with no talent whatsoever. I mean, she couldn't sing a note to save her life, and she thought she owned the world and everyone around her. As soon as I saw her sing during the Instant Star competition, I knew all my predictions about her were right. I went out for some air (who could stand all that horrible screeching that one girl could put out?). On the way out, I saw a few familiar faces, but I didn't let that stop me as I casually walked out the door.

----

After being outdoors for a while, getting a nice breath of fresh air, I hoped that Eden had finished singing (or screeching, as I like to call it), and decided to go back in. As I made my way back in, I heard the faint echo of a girl singing and playing guitar, and the sound of slight applause, but thought that I had just imagined it. I went to get a Coke and a snack, when suddenly, I heard someone come up behind me and grab my arm.

Hey, where've you been? I've been looking all over for you. So has Georgia and E.J.

I was outside. What'd I miss?

Besides Eden? You just missed a killer performance.

What do you mean? Who was it by? What happened?

Whoa, what's with all the questions? That red-headed girl over there? She just brought the house down.

What's her name, and is she anything like how she looks?

Jude Harrison, and I don't get what you're asking.

I mean, come on. Look at her. Everything about her screams tortured artist. The ripped jeans, the way she plays her guitar...Not exactly what G Major needs right now. We need someone who has staying power, and I don't think she has it.

Whatever. Listen, you gotta meet this girl, alright? Because she starts working with us tomorrow.

I can't, I promised Georgia that I'd finish laying down the track tonight. I'll see you both tomorrow. Where are we meeting her?

9:00. Monday morning. In Studio A.

Got it. Later.

Later.

A/N: OK, it's really easy to guess who the two people in this conversation were, but I didn't want to add names since I wanted to keep the conversation going. Read and review to find out what happens next. I will try and post a little bit each day, but we'll see how long I can keep that up. Let me know what you think, 'k?


	2. Chapter 2

AN: A special thank you goes out to supposedrockstar and AlysonGrant, who were very observant of the fact that I left out quotation marks…I knew I forgot something :o)! Also thanks to everyone who responded to my first chapter. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't do this without you guys. Now that I've gotten it out of my system, I decided to add people's names in conversations, especially when more than 2 people are involved. Otherwise, it'd be way too confusing. Oh, and some of the stuff I've mentioned is completely fictional, like the part about Jude's mediocre singing, Tommy being a prima donna, etc. I totally think Alexz is one of the best, if not the best, singers and actresses in Canada (and the world). And I think Tim is the hottest guy out there, but I'm sure he's nothing like the character he plays wink. Again, I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Tommy, or Jude (but if I did, they'd be together already :o)!). Read on…and please review.

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! And Alexz rocks…literally!

Chapter 2:

9:15 A.M.:

I looked at the clock in my blue Viper as I waited for the traffic light to turn green. I decided to break the deafening silence by blasting music from my CD changer. When it was my turn to go, I switched gears again, but before I crossed the intersection, I saw a car approaching that was not slowing down any. The driver was completely oblivious to the red light that was in front of him, so I broke hard to protect my precious Viper from getting smashed on the side. I thought that'd be ironic to find out what Georgia would have thought about me being late enough as it was, especially if I'd gotten in an accident. "Great, just great," I thought to myself. "First I wake up late, then I get chased all around town by stupid paparazzi who have nothing better to do than to follow me around everywhere I go. I finally get rid of them, only to have a near collision. To top it all off, I was supposed to get there 15 minutes ago, but no…I'm still 15 minutes away. Georgia's gonna have a conniption, but I'll talk my way out of it. After all, no one can resist Tom Quincy." I flipped on the radio, only to hear the same girl I heard last night. The song was called 24 Hours, and it was supposed to be the newest song out by Jude Harrison. "I've heard so much about this girl, and I've heard her sing, but I do know that she's not as great as everyone makes her out to be. She's just your average singer/songwriter that talent competitions have in spades. At least, that's what she'll be until I'm done with her. Guess it's time for me to go to work." He floored the gas pedal once more, and left all thoughts of Jude and her mediocre singing behind until it came time to deal with her.

At G Major - 9:00 A.M.:

Georgia: "Where's Tommy? I thought I told him to be here at 9:00."

Kwest: "I reminded him last night, but I guess he's late as always. Should we go ahead and start?"

Georgia: "Definitely. I have to meet E.J. in a few minutes, otherwise you know how she gets when her schedule's thrown off. And Jude needs to get to school."

Jude: "No, not really. It's not like I'm in a rush or anything. Besides, I'm only missing math class, and you know how much I love having math first thing in the morning."

Georgia (coughing slightly to cover her smile): "Yeah, well, let's get started then. We'll never know when Tommy'll show up."

Kwest (to Jude): "Knowing Tommy, not anytime soon. I'd be surprised if he made it to the meeting at all. Tommy comes in whenever he feels like it. He's my best friend, but he thinks the whole world revolves around him."

Jude (rolls her eyes as she's thinking to herself): "I get it, Tommy's just like a male version of Sadie. I wonder if he's as big of a prima donna as Sadie is, since he's an ex- boybander, always in and out of the tabloids. I'm sure he's just as temperamental when he can't get his way."

Georgia: "OK, then. Kwest, you know Jude won our Instant Star competition last night, and how she'll be working on making her first album. Jude, this is Kwest, our sound technician. He'll be working with Tom Quincy to record your first single, as well as your first album. I'll introduce you to E.J. and everyone else later. Kwest, why don't you show Jude where she'll be doing most of her recording? Then Jude, you can go ahead and get started now if you want, or you can wait until after school. It's up to you. I have to go see E.J. about something before she thinks I've blown her off, so I'll leave you two alone so that you can get acquainted more. Jude, if you need anything, you know where to find me."

Jude: "Thanks for everything, Georgia."

Kwest (being the nice and sweet guy he is, and sensing Jude's nervousness about everything that's happened to her already): "OK, Jude. Let's stay in here since this is where most of the major artists record their songs in. After what I heard last night, you definitely belong in this studio."

Jude (a little surprised, but happy that she has someone who understands her): "Thanks Kwest. That's really nice of you."

Kwest: "Yeah, well, I was there once too. Tommy and I used to be in the same band, and Darius was our manager."

Jude (groaning): "I can imagine what that must've been like."

Kwest: "Whatever you're thinking, multiply it by a 1000."

Kwest and Jude laugh.

Kwest: "So Jude, did you have anything you were working on?"

Jude: "No, but I do have the song I sang last night."

Kwest: "I love that song. Could you sing it again for me?"

Jude (smiling): "OK."

Jude picks up her guitar and starts to play.

I've been sitting in the dirt

I've forgotten my own worth

Said that you'd be here last night

I'm trying to shake you from my skin

Clean up this mess I've been put in

I'm guessing you can't always win

I'm guessing you can't always win

I can't have anything I want

They say I'm just too young, but it's not my fault

I'll find my own way home if I gotta

I'll make it all alone if I gotta

I'm not so trustful with my friends

I'm on the road alone again

I guess I'm tired of giving in

I'm sick of wishing you were near

You've gone away, you've made it clear

Why do I feel you everywhere?

Why do I feel this everywhere? Yeah…

I can't have anything I want

They say I'm just too young, but it's not my fault

I'll find my own way home if I gotta

I'll make it all alone if I gotta

Don't wanna spend my time

Watching the world go by

I think I'd rather die

And I don't got a plan

Not gonna justify

To stay where I stand

Something I want tonight

I can't have anything I want

They say I'm just too young, but it's not my fault

I'll find my own way home if I gotta

I'll make it all alone if I gotta

I can't have anything I want

They say I'm just too young, but it's not my fault

I'll find my own way home if I gotta

I'll make it all alone

24 hours

24 hours

24 hours

24 hours

24 hours

Kwest sits there, speechless as to how great Jude really is.

Jude, not knowing how to react to Kwest's obvious awe of her musical abilities, turns around to put her guitar down, then pauses as Kwest follows her gaze to the person who's standing in the doorway.

Person: "Hey Kwest, what's going on?"

AN: Who is it? Read and review to find out! For future reference, I'll need at least 4 or 5 comments from people before I post the next section. I just hope this lasts long enough for the next 2 months, otherwise I'll just have to write something else ;o)!


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks to everyone who responded. I live for feedback, suggestions, and without you guys (and Instant Star, of course), this wouldn't be possible. I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Tommy, or Jude (but if I did, they'd be together already :o)!). Read on…and please review. If you think it's too predictable, or if it's moving way too slow, let me know. If you have any suggestions to make this better, then feel free to tell me. You never know if or when they'll show up. Just for the record, this is going to be a long chapter, 'cuz I felt like it was moving too slowly.

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Jude, Tommy, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! Alexz totally rocks!

Chapter 3:

Kwest: "It's about time you showed up, man. Have you seen Georgia yet?"

Me (pretending not to know what's he's talking about): "No, why?"

Kwest: "Let's just say that you should stay clear of her for a while. You know, since you're a half hour late. Hey, have you met Jude, our very own Instant Star?"

Me (giving Jude a once over and smirking): "Nope. I figure you've seen one rocker chick, you've seen 'em all. Let me guess, you're the type of girl who's moody, rebellious, and immature, and you always have to disagree with everyone and everything, right?"

Jude (already starting to hate me for being so cocky): "I guess so. Wait, that must make you the type who always has to have everyone tripping all over themselves and giving you everything you want whenever you want just to please you."

Me (slightly surprised by her witty comeback): "You don't know anything, do you? Of course not, you're just a kid. You're so predictable, it's not even funny. I could see that coming a mile away."

Jude: "Oh, really? And what do you think I'd do when you pass by and order me around all the time? I'm sure you know I'm not the type to fall down and worship you whenever we're in the same room, but I know you're the type to get all whiny and complain to anyone stupid enough to listen. But I guess that can be expected from a former boyband member like Little Tommy Q."

Kwest (bracing himself for the verbal onslaught he expects to hear from me, since he knows I hate being called Little Tommy Q, a nickname from my Boyz Attack days, quickly interrupts): "OK, Jude, I think we should go meet E.J. now. I'm sure Georgia's done talking to her. And Tommy, I think you should go talk to Georgia, before she hunts you down and really lets you have it."

Kwest quickly pushes Jude out of the studio, with Jude completely clueless as to why she has to leave.

I knew that Jude didn't know that I hated that name, since I didn't want to be known only for being an ex-boyband member, but at that point, I really didn't care. I knew her type, I used to date girls just like her. But that was when I was a moody and rebellious teen. Now, I was one of the hottest writer/producers in the music biz, and everyone knew it.

I decided to take Kwest's advice and get my tongue-lashing over with, before everyone in the studio knew before I did. I made my way over to Georgia's office, where the door was slightly cracked open, and I could see that she was on the phone. I tried to make my getaway, hoping that she hadn't seen me, but then I heard her call out "Quincy, get in here now!" I opened the door and stepped through, hoping that whoever she was talking to on the phone had gotten her in a good mood. From the look on Georgia's face, I knew I was in for it.

Georgia: "Why were you late this morning? I thought I told you that we had a meeting with Jude at 9:00."

Me: "You did. I just overslept, that's all. Then I almost got run over by a crazy driver on the way over here, which reminds me, they should really keep those people off the road. (AN: Little does Tommy know that Jude is one of those drivers, but don't worry, I'll get to that part in a few more chapters ;o).) Then I go to talk to Kwest, but instead get a verbal assault from Jude about how I always have everyone falling over themselves trying to do everything for me, and how everything's always about me. And then I have to stand here and have you lecture me for being late, like this isn't the first time. I know the drill already, Georgia. The real problem is this girl you signed. You know I've told you before, Georgia, we really don't need someone like Jude. You know, the overly emotional, immature, and rebellious kind. Why couldn't we have gone with someone else, someone who's willing to work with us and take our advice?"

Georgia (sighing deeply): "Because, Tommy, I wanted someone who was a songwriter, and you know she was the best one out there. And for the record, she's not as overly emotional, immature, and rebellious as you think she is. I remember you weren't so far off yourself way back in the day."

Me: "Don't remind me. I'd like to forget that part of my life, remember?"

Georgia (finally smiling): "Sure, whatever you say, Tommy Q. Why don't you go and work with her in Studio C? Maybe if you spend a little time getting to know her, you'll find that the two of you aren't all that different."

Me: "Whatever, I just wanna get this over with."

Georgia: "You do that, while I call Jude's school and excuse her from the classes she's missing."

On my way over to Studio C, I passed by the lounge, where I saw E.J. and Jude talking.

Me: "Jude, do you have a minute?"

Jude (still glaring at me): "For you, no way."

Me: "E.J., do you mind?"

E.J. (as she crosses her arms and walks away): "Fine, it's not like Jude and I were discussing anything important…"

Me (trying to be the bigger person, since I was more mature and the one in charge): "OK, look, Jude, I didn't mean what I said back there. I'm sorry, OK?"

Jude: "Yeah right, like I'd buy that for a second."

Me (trying to remain calm and cool as I always am, and pouring on my irresistible charm): "Come on, Jude. Are we cool, or what?"

Jude (hesitating, as she tries to resist my smile, finally gives in and smiles): "We're cool. For the moment, anyway. But I swear, if you try and pull anything, I'll have plenty to say about it."

Me: "I'm sure you will. Listen, the reason I came over to talk to you…"

Jude: "I knew there was a reason, or do you just love to torture me?"

Me: "Ha ha, very funny. What I was trying to say, before you so rudely interrupted is that Georgia told us to go to Studio C and get started."

Jude: "Why Studio C? Kwest told me that I get Studio A whenever I want it."

Me: "He told you that? No, Jude, Studio A is for the good, serious musicians. You belong in Studio C."

Jude: "Yeah, well, if I'm only good enough for Studio C, then you can go shake your boyband butt outta here, 'cuz there isn't room enough for us both at G major."

Me (rolling my eyes for the umpteenth time that day): "Fine, whatever, let's just get to work, OK?"

Jude (reluctantly): "OK."

Minutes later, in Studio C:

Jude starts singing her song, 24 Hours, as she strums her guitar. I'm not impressed. Girls like her are a dime a dozen. I interrupt before she can do any further damage.

"Jude, you're gonna have to stop, 'cuz you're hurting my ears."

Jude gapes as I walk over to her.

Jude: "What's wrong with the way I sing?"

Me: "You sing it like it's a funeral dirge. You gotta pick up the tempo, straight quarters on the bottom. Here, let me show you."

She glares at me as she passes me the guitar. I ignore it and show her how it's supposed to be done.

As I strum the opening bars, I tell her to sing, and sing faster than she was. "Jude, what's with these lyrics? We're on the road alone again, we're tired of giving in. Who's we?"

Jude (defensively): "It's about me and my best friend."

Me: "We don't care about your friend, Jude. You gotta make it more personal."

Jude: "I think it's fine the way it is."

Me: "Look, the song may have won you the contest, but it's not ready. Not until we rewrite the lyrics."

Jude: "I'm not going to change, not for anyone. And especially not for Little Tommy Q."

Me: "First, I could care less about your winning the contest. And second, the names Tom Quincy. I'm gonna let this one slide since you didn't know any better, being a kid and all, but don't you ever call me little Tommy Q again, understand?"

Jude: "Whatever, I'm gonna go, 'cuz I don't think this'll work. You're impossible."

Me: "See ya."

Jude made her way to the door, and after tugging on it, slowly turned around and said, "Tommy?"

Me: "What?"

Jude: "I think the door's stuck. I can't get it to open."

Me: "That's because you're a girl. Move over, and let me open it."

I jiggled the knob, hoping it wouldn't stick, but since Studio C was hardly ever used, it was more like a storage closet than an actual studio.

"Great, just great," I mumbled to myself.

"What? Don't tell me I'm stuck here. I wouldn't mind it, but seeing as I'm stuck with you," Jude complained.

"Yeah, so how do you think I feel?" I shot back.

For once, Jude didn't say anything and we sat together in silence.

AN: What's going to happen next? Only I know. Please read and review. Keep your comments coming!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: A lot will be explained in this chapter, a lot left to your imagination, and some of it will be a perfect setup for the next chapter. I decided to put in a Christmas party, since it'll be Christmas soon, but the fact that it is will play a big part in a future chapter. As always, please read and review. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Jude, Tommy, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! And Alexz rocks!

Chapter 4:

After what seemed like an eternity, Jude turned around to glare at me with her it's-all-your-fault look. I decided to break the silence by trying to keep the peace, at least for the moment.

Me: "Look, Jude, I know we'd both rather be anywhere but here, but as it's out of our control…"

Jude: "You know what, Quincy? I'd rather sit here in silence with you than to hear anything you have to say."

Me (finally having enough of her verbal assaults): "Jude, what's your problem?"

Jude: "My problem is you. Always having to be in and out of the tabloids, always having everyone running around trying to please you. Well, you know what? Everything's not always about you. Like anyone cares about every little move you make, where you go on vacation, or your current flavor of the week.

Me: "You took the words right out of my mouth."

Jude: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Me (mimicking Jude): "Look at me, everyone, I'm Jude Harrison! G Major's first ever Instant Star. I have such a hard time adjusting from normal teen to Canada's newest national sensation, since my parents are too strict, my sister has to be the best at everything, and school is such a bore. I have it so hard, people should just be forever grateful for my presence."

Jude: "Hey! I'm not that bad. At least not as bad as you!"

Me (clutching my heart pretending to be deeply wounded): "Ouch, girl. I get it, OK? Now Georgia wants me to work with you so that you can perform 24 Hours in time for your first gig."

Jude: "I've already told you, I'm not rewriting it. Not for anyone."

Me: "OK, fine, but if your single tanks, don't say I didn't warn you."

Jude: "What if we asked Georgia to listen to it, and get a better, I mean second, opinion?"

Me: "You want to ask Georgia even though I've actually been in the music biz for years and am one of the hottest writer/producers ever?"

Jude (knowing she got the best of me): "Yeah, got a problem with that?"

Me (inwardly laughing at the irony of her question): "No, of course not."

We started working on Jude's song, and about halfway through, Georgia came in.

"How's it going, guys?" she asked.

Jude, relieved that Georgia came to rescue her from being with me any longer, blurted out: "Great, Georgia! We're almost done rewriting the lyrics, and we're this close to finding the right chord progressions."

Georgia replied, "That's great, Jude. I'm sure whatever you come up with will blow Eden right out of the water."

Jude smiled, and resumed working. Meanwhile, Georgia motioned for me to follow her out into the hallway where we could talk.

"How's it really coming along, Tom?" she said. I'm still amazed at how well she can read me. But then again, you gotta be able to read people well, especially in this business, and Georgia was one of the best.

"Fine, Georgia. Jude's finally gotten off her pedestal, and she's finally willing to be serious about what she's doing. You know I had my doubts about her, but now I can see why you chose her over everyone else."

"I knew you'd eventually see things my way," Georgia replied, gloating and grinning like a kid who'd just snuck a few cookies out of the jar without her mom knowing. "As long as you're not busy, can you help me set up for our Christmas party that we're having in two days?"

"Sure, but you could have given me more notice. I mean, two days? Who could plan a party that fast and make sure that it went smoothly? We'll definitely need more help," I said.

Georgia responded, "I asked Kwest to help, and E.J. was initially in charge, but with everything that's been going on lately, and with E.J. driving us all crazy trying to get everything just perfect, we're now behind schedule."

"OK, I'll do what I can to help," I said. Even though I didn't think it'd work out, I just love it when we all get together and have our annual G Major Christmas party. The food, the drinks, the conversations with family and friends, it's better than anything I'd ever want.

Georgia (totally on top of everything as always): "OK, we still need to put up decorations. E.J.'s working on the invitations and catering, Kwest's helping to put up candles, the tree, the lights, putting gifts under the tree, and working on arranging the music. You can help Kwest put up the tree, the lights, and arrange music, and we'll pretty much have the rest all taken care of."

I smiled, remembering last year's party ended rather memorably. "OK, but if the light bulbs overheat and set the tree on fire like they did last time, then don't blame me. I had nothing to do with it. It was all Kwest."

Georgia (bursts out laughing at the memory): "Sure, whatever you say. But I'll put the fire department on speed dial just in case."

Jude (finally coming out of Studio C, with guitar in hand): "Hey, what's going on?"

Georgia walks away, still chuckling. "We're just planning our annual Christmas party," I explained.

"Can I help?" Jude asked eagerly.

"Didn't know you were into that sort of thing." I commented.

"Who isn't? Oh wait, that must be you, Mr. Scrooge," Jude said, smirking.

"For your information, Georgia has me roped into putting the tree and the lights up, and arranging the music."

"Oh, no," Jude groaned.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned. I thought maybe she didn't feel well or forgot something she was supposed to do.

"It's nothing, except I don't want to hear 'Pick up the Pieces' set to Christmas music, OK? It's bad enough I have to hear Sadie sing it off-key 24/7."

"Come on, you know it won't be that bad," I coaxed. It was still surprising to me how we shared the same dislike for cheesy boyband music, but I didn't want to admit it to her, at least not yet. "Let's go pick out some songs to play before E.J. forces us to do her bidding."

"OK," Jude conceded, surprising me once again.

Meanwhile, Georgia went to find Kwest, who was busy putting lights around the lounge. "Hey, Kwest," she said, greeting him.

"Hey, Georgia," Kwest responded. He looked around carefully. "Do you think Tommy suspects anything?"

Georgia answered, "No, he couldn't possibly. Should we let Jude in on our little secret?"

Kwest: "No, because then she won't come. What if we made it part Christmas party, part celebration in her honor?"

Georgia: "Great idea. Then neither of them will suspect anything. Let's get on it right away."

Kwest (loving the thought of it): "You got it."

AN: What do Georgia and Kwest have up their sleeves? And are they the only ones in on this? Only I know, and you will too, just as soon as you review this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: A lot will be explained in this chapter, a lot left to your imagination, and some of it will be a perfect setup for the next chapter. The Christmas party will play a big part in a future chapter. As always, please read and review. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Jude, Tommy, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! And Alexz rocks!

Chapter 5:

Takes place on Christmas Eve

"Hey, E.J. how's everything going?" I asked timidly, seeing E.J. in her usual whirlwind mode.

E.J. paused long enough to retort, "Does it look like everything's OK?"

"Whoa, just asking. What can I do to help?" I asked.

"OK, the caterers are delayed due to normal holiday rush, so we need to find a local caterer or someone who can cook up a storm. Then we have to make sure that all the invitations were sent out and that everyone either responded or declined. And then we have to make sure that all the light bulbs work, which means that our janitors need to be watched like hawks before they try to slip one of our newly finished singles and pass it off as their own. But I don't have time to go through all the rest, so take your pick and do it already."

"Gotcha, I'll just check on the light bulbs then," I lied as I walked out of the room.

Meanwhile, Jude, Kwest, and Georgia are having a conversation of their own.

"Jude, are you OK with having your dad and Sadie coming to the party?" Kwest asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, isn't Christmas a time to put aside your differences and get along for once, even if it's only for a day?" Jude said, silently dreading what would happen between her parents and her and Sadie.

Georgia replied, "That's the spirit, Jude!"

"And maybe my dad can help you guys find real music to play," Jude said, seeing Tommy walk in.

Kwest winced as he imagined what Tommy would say to that.

"Jude, don't start now, OK? We've got enough stuff to do as it is, so the less talking, the faster we'll finish." Tommy said.

"If only you were this focused on your work," Georgia said, playfully punching Tommy in the arm as Kwest and Jude laughed seeing Tommy scowl. "I'll leave you alone so that we can get done with all the preparations. I really don't want E.J. jumping down our throats any more than we have to."

"Yeah, I'll go make myself useful too," Kwest suddenly jumped up and followed her out. He ignored Tommy, who silently raised his eyebrows as if to say, "What's the rush?", and Jude, who once again was less than thrilled at the prospect of being left alone with Tommy.

Once outside, Georgia beckoned to Kwest to follow her into her office, where they could talk more privately. When they got there, the two burst out laughing, trying unsuccessfully to stifle their laughter. "I can't imagine what Tommy and Jude will say when they realize how we trapped them in Studio C," Kwest replied, gasping for breath.

"Yeah, and wait until he sees what we have in store for him. You have the room all ready the way I want it?" Georgia replied conspiratorially.

"The candles, guitars, the works? All set, chief." Kwest grinned. "They'll never suspect it was us. Should I go and update E.J. on what's going down?"

"Sure, you know how she loves to be in on secrets, especially when they're as juicy as ours are." Georgia smiled. "And if she asks you to do something else for her, just tell her I've got a big project for you that can't wait any longer. That should get you off the hook."

"Thanks Georgia," Kwest sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, E.J.'s still running around, wondering why she can't find Georgia, Kwest, Tommy, or Jude, so she takes it out on anyone and everyone she comes across. "I can't believe I'm stuck here, all alone, while everyone else is slacking off. Does anyone care that I'm doing this all by myself?" She wondered aloud. Just then, she saw Jude coming out from one of the hallways. "Jude, great, I haven't gotten a chance to talk to you. How do you like it so far?"

"How do I like what so far?" Jude asked, puzzled.

"You know, being Canada's biggest and newest artist." E.J. elbowed her.

"Honestly? I can't believe this is all happening so fast. It seems like yesterday that I was nervous about performing one of my songs in front of you and Georgia, and in front of such a large crowd. But it's good though, 'cuz I'm finally getting used to all these changes."

"You think it's all good from here on out, don't you? No, Jude, you're just getting warmed up." E.J. was about to go on when she spotted Kwest and Tommy coming in, joking about something.

"Hey guys," E.J. greeted them. "Is everything set?"

"Finally. Is there anything else we can help with?" Tommy asked, inwardly hoping against hope that there wasn't. He ignored the slight look by Kwest that to the casual observer would have gone unnoticed.

"Nope, not that I can think of," E.J. rattled on, oblivious to Tommy's and Kwest's relief. "All you have to do now is show up."

"Great!" Jude replied, a little too enthusiastically as E.J. looked at her pointedly. "I mean, that's great, E.J."

"I hate to break it to you guys, but me and Kwest have got to set up for tomorrow. You wouldn't be interested since it's probably too technical for you. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy it while it lasts." Tommy told them, secretly willing Jude not to follow.

"OK, whatever," Jude shrugged as E.J. raced off yet again. Suddenly, her cell phone rang, and she saw that it was Jamie.

"Hey Jamie," Jude said. "Got any plans for tomorrow?"

"Not unless you call spending time with your parents having a good 'ole time." Jamie shuddered at the thought. "Why? What'd you have in mind?"

"Oh, G Major's having their annual Christmas party, and I wondered if you'd want to come and meet everyone." Jude said.

"Sounds good to me, but do I really have to meet little Tommy Q?" Jamie whined.

"Not if you don't want to, but he'll probably introduce himself to you before you even step in the door. If you're lucky, he'll probably perform one of his famous Boyz Attack songs just for you. If I were you, I'd just as sooner get it over with than later." Jude replied, giggling as she imagined the scene unfolding.

"I gotta go Jude, my mom wants to use the phone. I'll see you tomorrow then." Jamie said rather reluctantly, wanting to talk to her more.

"OK, I'll see you then." Jude said before hanging up.

AN: Hope that explains a little bit more. The rest will explain itself sooner or later. What do Georgia and Kwest have planned for the Christmas party? And how will Tommy and Jude, not to mention everyone else, react? You'll find out soon. If I don't post on the 24th, have a Merry Christmas everyone!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I had a little trouble with this chapter, so please read and review. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Jude, Tommy, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! And Alexz rocks!

Chapter 6:

Time: Christmas Day

Place: G Major

"Georgia, let me just check that everything's set up," E.J. complained as Georgia held her back from running off in another direction.

"E.J., how many times do I have to tell you that you've rechecked at least ten times since yesterday? Just sit back and relax already, the guests will be here any minute. Is Jude around?" Georgia asked, exasperated yet amused by the woman's concern. E.J. was convinced that every little thing that went wrong would reflect negatively on her, so she outdid everyone else in the obsessive-compulsive department when it came to projecting a good image.

"Yes, she's still getting ready. I'll go and see how much longer she'll take." E.J. scurried off.

Meanwhile, Kwest and I were busy putting the finishing touches on the decorations in the lounge when guests began to arrive. First, there was Jude's family. I have to admit, what Jude told me about her family was an understatement. Her dad was not just a "diehard Beatles fan", he was the biggest Beatles fan who I've ever met. In fact, I don't think there's a bigger fan than Mr. Harrison in all of North America (but maybe there were a few still around in Great Britain.) Her mom was also a little over the top, stressing over Jude's academics than her musical aspirations. But then again, moms are like that, and Jude's mom was no different. Sadie, like the rest of her family, had what Jude said was "an addiction to winning." She had to be the best at everything, because she couldn't handle the thought of someone being better than her. I think that's why she resents Jude, since Jude landed a major record deal and become an Instant Star.

The only one who didn't exactly match her family's problems was Jude. Sure, she's been put into a difficult situation, but since I've started working more closely with her, I think she's learning how to handle fame better than other artists I've worked with in the past. Unlike others, she's had to deal with a lot for someone so young, but it's made her who she is, a strong, independent, and beautiful young woman. Did I just say that? I must be getting all mushy, it being Christmas and all. Either that or the wine that E.J. insists is for everyone else that I keep sneaking when she's not looking. I looked over and saw Jude surrounded by her family and friends, and that's when it hit me. I was always so hard on her, because I wanted her to be the best in the industry. I have to admit that ever since the day that Jude walked into G Major for the first time until now, I've seen her become much more mature. We've finally settled into a mutual respect for one another. Jude actually listens to me every once in a while without taking cracks at my infamous boyband image, while I listen to her and try to be supportive when she pours out her heart and soul into a song. I slowly return to reality, only to realize that Georgia and Kwest are nowhere to be found. I wonder where they went, when Jude walks over to where I'm standing by the doorway.

"Hey, Tommy," Jude said.

"Hey, girl," I greeted her, using her nickname rather than saying "Hey, Jude" (which she hates).

"Did you see where Georgia went?" Jude asked.

"Nope, I was just going to ask you the same thing. I wonder where Kwest ran off to." I wondered aloud.

"They're probably off mingling. You know how they are." Jude decided.

"Yeah, Kwest, the one who loves getting more attention, even more than me." I teased.

Meanwhile, E.J. had taken center stage and quickly got everyone's attention.

"First off, I would like to thank you all for coming. Without you, this wouldn't have been possible," she said as everyone clapped.

Jude and I heard everyone clapping and I said, "Come on, it's starting." Without thinking, I grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the party, while Jude was in shock at the contact.

The room was crowded, as everyone had arrived. The only available room was in the back near the doorway, so we were just glad to be there. I quickly surveyed the room, taking in the scenery around me. Some people were listening to E.J. talking, some were getting refreshments, including chips, fruit, assorted chocolates, soda, champagne, and wine, and assorted kinds of cakes (the one that immediately stood out to me the most was the one that resembled a guitar. I assumed that this was the one they were going to serve after announcing Jude's recent success on the charts. I also noticed that they had put up candles everywhere, and dimmed the lights a bit. I guessed it was time for Jude's introduction.

Suddenly, E.J.'s words confirmed my thoughts. "Speaking of which, here she is, the guest of honor with her producer, our very own Tom Quincy."

Slowly, I realized that everyone in the room was staring at the both of us. I could tell the difference between people staring at me and people stunned to be in my presence, because I've gotten used to how people pay attention to me.

I looked over at Jude, who looked just as puzzled as to what was happening as I was. She shrugged and returned her gaze to the people staring at us.

"What are you all looking at? What's going on?" I challenged.

Just then, Georgia and Kwest came in, laughing at something.

"Kwest, man, what's going on? Why's everyone staring at Jude and me?" I asked, curious.

Kwest didn't respond right away. Instead, he pointed up at a spot right above the door. As I looked up, my heart dropped. There, unbeknownst to us, was a bunch of mistletoe.

"Come on, man, you and Jude have got to get it on. Georgia and I have been noticing you guys these past few weeks. You two argue so much, it's so obvious that you like each other." Kwest whispered to me.

"What are you talking about? Me and Jude, we're not even friends, we just work together." I insisted, suddenly realizing that Kwest was right. But I didn't want to give him any more ideas.

"Yeah right, that's why when you guys are coming up with lyrics, you take turns to look at each other when the other one is busy scribbling down words and chords." Kwest laughed. Then he went and did something that I'll never forgive him for. "Kiss, kiss, kiss…" Kwest started chanting, inspiring the crowd to join in.

Fortunately for him, Jude's parents weren't around, or they'd have gone ballistic seeing their youngest daughter kiss her producer. Sadie just scowled, probably upset that Jude had the spotlight once again. I looked over at Jude to see what she was thinking, but her expression was unreadable. I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "If you don't want to do this, then we don't have to."

Jude said, "I'm not one to ruin the moment, but seeing as it's you, I have my doubts…"

I couldn't take the thought of having people saying that I backed down away from a sticky situation, so I grabbed her, and before she could say anything else, I kissed her. The moment our lips met, I thought, "This is the girl for me. Wait, Georgia's going to be pissed if she finds out there's anything between us. Is there?"

At the same time, Jude was thinking, "Wow, Tommy's a really great kisser. Wait, did I just say that? I'm not even supposed to like Tommy like that. I can't like a former boybander, can I? Does he like me? We don't argue as much as we used to. Is that why we get along so much better now? And if we do hook up, what if I screw things up, or if he screws things up? Or will I find someone else, or if he finds someone else? Cool it, Harrison, you're getting way ahead of yourself here. What are you thinking? Whatever it is, it's gotta stop."

I heard someone clearing their throat next to us, so I broke off the kiss, probably looking as flustered as Jude looked. I turned to look, and saw that it was Georgia.

"Wow, guys, that was almost believable." Georgia said, convincing me that she didn't know what I was really feeling.

"Yeah, man, you should have seen your and Jude's expressions right before you made out with her." Kwest was obviously entertained.

"We didn't make out," Jude countered. Realizing that she couldn't shake Georgia's and Kwest's opinions of the event, she withdrew to another place. I wanted to follow her to ask her what happened, but I couldn't follow her because that would cause everyone's suspicions to be correct. I decided to wait a while before approaching her again. That way, we could both gather our thoughts and talk about how we could work together after what happened.

Kwest looked at me, and I repeated weakly, "We didn't make out." Knowing I didn't convince either of them, I also retreated, back to my office and away from everyone else. When I got there, I realized someone was already in my office.

"I didn't expect to see you here," I told the person who was sitting in my chair.

AN: Who is it? Read & review to find out. I will post the next chapter on the 26th. Merry Christmas everyone!


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thanks to everyone who's responded. I live for feedback, suggestions, and without you guys (and Instant Star, of course), this wouldn't be possible. Read on…and please review. If you think it's too predictable, or if it's moving way too slow, let me know. If you have any suggestions to make this better, then feel free to tell me. You'll never know if or when they'll show up. Just for the record, this is going to be a long chapter, to make up for the 2 days I didn't post anything! Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Jude, Tommy, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! And I hope Jude and Tommy end up together in Season 2! Can't wait for February 10!

Chapter 7:

Sadie smiled. "What, did you think my parents would be here to chew you out for making out with my sister? They weren't even around when you and Jude kissed."

"I really don't know what to think, except that your parents can't know about it, not from you, OK?" I pleaded.

"On one condition." Sadie said, smugly. I wondered what she was up to.

"What's that?" I asked, already dreading her response from the devilish look she gave me.

"Take me out to that nice little Italian place just around the corner." Sadie demanded.

"Sadie, I really can't be involved with you, not like that," I said, stunned as to how conniving she could be.

"Fine, then I'll just go ahead and tell my mom and dad what happened." She stood up as she was about to leave.

"Wait, OK, I'll do it. How does tomorrow at 6:30 sound?" I said, as I inwardly cringed at the thought of Jude finding out about our little arrangement.

"Perfect. Come and get me, since Mom and Dad'll be out and Jamie and Kat are coming over." Sadie said as she made her way toward the door.

"OK," I replied weakly. I still couldn't imagine how she pulled one over on me, and I didn't even see it coming.

"Ciao for now," Sadie said as she left my office.

I took a few minutes to process everything that happened that night, and decided that I wasn't getting anywhere. I decided to go and talk to Kwest, since he knew me better than anyone else, and he always gave it to me straight.

I found Kwest right where I left him.

"Hey, man, you got a sec?" I asked, silently telling him that I really needed to talk.

"Yeah, what's up?" Kwest took the hint and led me to Studio B, where we could talk in private.

(In Studio B):

I told Kwest everything that happened since I kissed Jude. Kwest was about to say something, when I finally blurted out "Kwest, what should I do? I mean, I like Jude, you know? But she's 18, and I can't date her since I'm her producer. I don't want to quit, because I like working with her, and I love hearing the songs she comes up with. Just when I think she can't top her last song, she goes and writes another killer single. But if I don't quit, then I don't know how much longer I can take this. I'm so close to her but yet so far away. And if I try and make a move on her, she might not feel the same way and then I'll blow any chances I could have had with her. You know how she feels about me, so what do you think?"

Kwest paused a second, thinking that there was more, but when I didn't continue, he said, "Tommy, man, calm down. Jude does like you, even though she may not admit it. And not just in a platonic way. I don't think she'll have a problem with dating her producer, since I overheard her talking to Kat about you one day."

"What about Sadie?" I asked, desperate to get myself out of this situation.

"Don't worry about Sadie. Once she's had her fun, she'll move on to someone else. She's kinda like a female you." Kwest said, snickering.

"Ha ha. Very funny." I said, watching Kwest shrug nonchalantly.

"Do you think I should tell Jude's parents what happened? Then I can get out of my situation with Sadie." I asked, already knowing Kwest's response.

"Yeah, and risk dying a slow, and, not to mention, extremely painful death? Not if you want to come out of it alive and in one piece." Kwest replied seriously, not even cracking a smile.

"Thanks, Kwest. You always know what to do in these situations." I said, grateful for his advice.

"Anytime. I've got a feeling you'll be needing lots more advice later on." Kwest walked away to greet some of his friends who were in town visiting.

Meanwhile, I watched Sadie as she was talking to Jude. I moved closer to them, trying to overhear what they were talking about.

"…and then I go talk to Tommy, and Tommy asks me out. He wants to take me to that nice little Italian place close by." Sadie was going on and on, while Jude nodded, her thoughts elsewhere.

Jude's POV : Once again, Sadie gets what she wants. I can't believe Tommy fell for her. I mean, is there any guy who can resist her? Why did Tommy have to ask her out? Does he like her? Does she like him, or is she just toying with his affections? Does she mean anything to him? Or is Tommy trying to make me jealous? Not that I am or anything…OK, maybe just a little…or maybe a lot…I wish Tommy could see what she's trying to do, and be smart enough to avoid Sadie altogether. But I guess it's too late for that. Maybe if I can pull a Sadie and compete with her for Tommy's attention…Does that mean that I like Tommy? Yeah, I guess it does. I love it when we're working together on a song, and he comes up behind me to work out the timing, when he puts his hands over mine on the guitar, and strums it the way he thinks it should be. I never knew I had all these feelings for Tommy, at least not until Sadie came along. At least she's good for something. I wonder if Tommy knows how I feel. What if I'm reading too much into this, and Tommy likes me only as a friend? Maybe I shouldn't say anything so that I won't get my heart broken into a zillion pieces. Yeah, that's what I'll do. I should get back to listening Sadie talk before she notices I'm a million miles away.

"I can't believe this, this is so unreal. I get to date the hottest member of Boyz Attack, little Tommy Q. Just wait till all my friends hear about this. I'll go tell them right now." Sadie ran off, still self-absorbed while Jude, relieved, thought to herself, "Nope, Sadie's still off in her own world. Good thing she didn't notice I wasn't listening."

Jude saw Georgia up in front of everyone, again, and she heard Georgia say, "And now we're going to have a special performance by our newest artist, Jude Harrison! Come on up here, Jude!" Georgia stepped down to make way for Jude, and returned to her table with E.J., and Kwest already sitting there. Kwest motioned for me to come join them, and I sat down, curious to find out how other people would like Jude's song.

Jude made her way up to the stage, and on the way up, she decided to sing a different song than the one she'd planned.

"Hi everyone, I'm going to be doing a new song tonight. It's called Temporary Insanity. I hope you like it." Jude said as she started strumming.

"What just happened

Did you kiss me?

'Cuz that's a place we've never been

Until now

And I don't know

How it's gonna be after this

Do we pretend these feelings don't exist at all

Or do we fall?

My confusion shows whenever you get so close

I stumble, I stutter

Forget what to say

I'm nervous, I wonder why I'm acting this way

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and me?

Is it real or is it fantasy?

Forever, or just temporary…insanity?

You made a move, don't change your mind

Too much to lose, we've crossed the line

Between friends and something more

Was it all a big mistake

And if it was, it's much too late to undo

And I don't really want to

Let you go

But I still don't know

How I feel about you

What this really means

It's crazy to want you

Is it meant to be?

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and me?

Is it real or is it fantasy?

Forever, or just temporary?

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and me?

Is it real or is it fantasy?

Forever, or just temporary…insanity?

What you do to me

What comes over me

If this is crazy, there's nothing I'd rather be

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and me?

Is it real or is it fantasy?

Forever, or just temporary?

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and me?

Is it real or is it fantasy?

Forever, or just temporary?

Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind

Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind

As the sounds of Jude's voice and the guitar faded out, Jude's eyes locked with mine. I felt a sharp jab in my ribs, and turned to look at Kwest. He leaned over and whispered, "Does that answer your previous question?" I nodded, unable to speak and Kwest continued, "Jude's coming this way."

I looked over at Jude again, and willed anyone else in the room to go up and distract her, since I wasn't ready to talk to her. I knew I'd either say too much (which would probably end up in Jude laughing at me when I told her how I felt, or Jude getting upset as to thinking I had a chance with her, or Jude just wanting to be friends and us figuring out how to work together after Jude found out how I felt about her.), or too little (which would leave her more confused than ever, make her upset that I felt like I couldn't talk to her (which I couldn't at the moment, at least not until I knew what it was I was going to say), or make her think that I didn't know what to think (which was exactly what I was thinking). Jude made her way over to my table, never once breaking eye contact with me (which made me feel unsure about what she had thought and felt about our very public kiss, and unsure about what she thought of everyone else's opinions about it).

"Tommy, can I talk to you? Alone?" Jude inquired.

"Yeah, how about we head over to Studio A? No one's there right now." I suggested.

"Great, let's go." Jude replied, not caring where we went to talk or who was around when it happened.

AN: I decided to end this chapter here, so that it won't be too long (and also because it goes a lot better with the next chapter). Let me know what you think (whether it's good or bad). Then I'll know what to work on for the following chapters.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thanks to everyone who's responded. I live for feedback, suggestions, and without you guys (and Instant Star, of course), this wouldn't be possible. Read on…and please review. If you think it's too predictable, or if it's moving way too slow, let me know. If you have any suggestions to make this better, then feel free to tell me. You'll never know if or when they'll show up.

Important: I said that Tommy was meeting Sadie at 6:30 for dinner. But since the server won't let me post that part, I will have it up later today (if it lets me post). So this chapter will be kinda short, but I promise to post more soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star, 24 Hours, Jude, Tommy, or any of the characters. But I really wish I did. I love Tim Rozon! And I hope Jude and Tommy end up together in Season 2! Can't wait for February 10!

Chapter 8:

Place: Studio A (the day after Christmas)

Jude was already inside by the time I got there. Needless to say, she didn't look happy.

"What were you thinking, Tommy? That you could sweep me off my feet by kissing me the way you did back there? Well, guess what, oblivio? I'm not your typical damsel-in-distress, and I don't need people to rescue me, especially not you." Jude rambled on, not making any sense as her words contrasted with the way she'd kissed me back.

"Hold it, Ms. Fire-Breathing Dragon. I know you're not the type to fall easily for me, but do you really think arguing with me is going to get you anywhere? And I'm not just talking about our personal relationship." I said, hoping to distract her before she really let me have it.

"Oh, this is so like you, Tommy. Always trying to change the subject. And you're always telling me to grow up. Well, now I'm telling you. Be a man, for once. Face whatever it is that we're dealing with, without pretending that it never happened. And just for the record, I don't care what anyone thinks. These last few weeks, I let myself fall for you. You know we're good together. And I'm not just talking about music. "

"Jude, you know we can't do this. Not now, not while your career's just taking off and while I'm your producer." I pleaded with her to understand.

"Fine, just take the easy way out. Don't you ever care about anyone's feelings but your own?" Jude snapped back.

"I do. That's why I think if we say it didn't happen, then neither of us will get in trouble, and your career won't suffer because of it." I concluded.

"Is that all you can say to me right now? That it's a bad career move for us to get involved? Come on, Quincy, you know as well as I do that some producers have crossed that line, so you wouldn't be the first. Anyway, what if we kept it secret, since you're so worried about your reputation and all? You know, between you, me, and Kwest?" Jude suggested, gesturing silently for me to agree with her.

"Look, Jude, I really don't know what to say. We could get a lot of heat from everyone in the industry. And I really don't want you to go through that, not ever." I countered, hoping that she'd drop the subject.

"You told me once not to care what other people think, so why should you?" Jude asked, puzzled.

"Because, that was then, this is now, and this time there are different circumstances and different issues at stake here. Please, Jude, just forget it, OK? For me?" I tried to sway her with my charm, but this time, it didn't work.

"No, Tommy, tell you what. I'll drop it if you kiss me right now and pretend like there's nothing going on between us. Otherwise, I'll let it slip during my interview that Little Tommy Q is too chicken to let himself fall in love." Jude announced, triumphant.

Tommy's POV: Man, that's the second time in a row that I've been put in my place. First Sadie, now Jude. Either I'm losing my touch, or it runs in the family. Note to self: Don't cross Mrs. Harrison.

"OK, Jude, but don't say I didn't warn you." We leaned in closer, and as our lips met, I felt exactly the same spark I'd felt the first time. We kissed for a while, and I felt that we were both trying to hold back. I promised myself I wouldn't deepen the kiss, but I couldn't take it anymore. I threw my arms around her as she fisted her hands in my hair and jumped on me, never breaking contact. The kiss deepened faster than we both expected, and we were lost in each other's embrace. After several minutes of a full-on, no-holds-barred make-out session, we broke apart, only to catch our breaths. We looked away from one another, completely speechless.

My mind raced as to how to explain myself that time. I avoided eye contact with her, because I knew if I looked at her again, I'd kiss her brainless until we'd pass out from the lack of oxygen. Jude reacted first by taking my head in her hands and turning my gaze toward hers. "What do you say to that, Tommy? Can you look at me and tell me that it didn't mean anything?"

I still couldn't speak, but the way I looked at her gave her the answer she'd wanted all along. She grinned mischievously, knowing she'd won, and we resumed making out. That is, until I realized that I needed to pick Sadie up for lunch. I immediately broke off our kiss.

"Jude, I need to meet someone for lunch. I gotta go." I said, hoping to beat the rush-hour traffic.

"OK, can I come with you? Or is it strictly business?"

I really hated lying to her, but in this case, I had no choice. "Strictly business. You'd be bored out of your mind. But maybe we can grab dinner later?" I suggested, hoping to satisfy her curiosity and stop her from asking any more questions.

"Sure, I'll be here. I want to finish writing my new song, and Kwest is gonna help me." Jude said, thrilled that she'd be going out with Tommy.

"OK, I'll swing by later on and get you." I left before she said anything else.

AN: Will Jude and Tommy's newfound happiness last? Read and review to find out!


	9. Chapter 9

At the Harrison residence:

I pulled up to Jude's house, and saw Sadie sitting on the front steps, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Where have you been?" Sadie demanded, thoroughly incensed.

"I was working. You know, something you should be doing but aren't?" She glared at me as she got in. "Hop in, we've got reservations."

The drive to the restaurant was uneventful. I pulled up to the entrance of the restaurant, where a valet was waiting to park my car.

"I thought you never let anyone drive your precious little Viper," Sadie remarked.

"I only let valets and Kwest drive it." I said.

We walked inside, only to be greeted by a gracious hostess. The restaurant was virtually empty, except for a few people situated throughout the room.

"Right this way, please." The hostess said as Sadie and I followed.

We sat down and ordered drinks. Mine was a nice white wine and Sadie's was a Coke, even though she wanted the same drink as I had (I wouldn't let her, since she wasn't legal and I could be arrested).

"So, what's your favorite pasta?" I asked, hoping to spark conversation.

"Linguini with pesto. What's yours?" Sadie asked, apparently forgetting our previous spats.

"Linguini with mussels. Kwest thinks they're disgusting, all slimy and squishy." I laughed, wondering what he'd say if he were there.

"Mmm, I just love linguini with mussels," Sadie purred. I wondered if she was telling the truth, or just saying it since I liked it. "Did you want any appetizers?"

"No, I can't stay long. Jude said she wanted to work on another song, and I wanted to hear it before she leaves." I lied, knowing perfectly well that she would be there late.

The waiter came by and took our orders. Before he returned, Sadie and I had talked about Jude's career, and I asked Sadie how she felt about it.

"What are you, my shrink?" Sadie asked.

"No, I just wanted to get your take on it." I replied. I thought, "Man, is she ever touchy."

"It's always all about Jude, isn't it? I bet you can't go 5 seconds without mentioning her name. For once I'd like to have a conversation where the subject isn't her. Dad can't stop talking about her, Mom's always grilling her about schoolwork, and Kat and Jamie are always calling her when she's at the studio. Now I get to go out to a nice place with none other than little Tommy Q from Boyz Attack, and he's even talking about her. What next?" Sadie complained.

"You're right, I do talk about Jude a lot, because I'm her producer and it's my job to make sure she's a star." I really hoped that kept her satisfied for awhile. "But let's talk about you for a second." Once I said that, she continued as if nothing had happened, all the way up to the time the waiter returned with our meals, and through the end of them.

Maybe I should have said for an hour. Jude was right, Sadie's extremely self-absorbed.

We finished our meals, and as soon as we stepped outside, the valet had returned with my Viper intact. I thanked them, gave the valet a huge tip, and took Sadie back to the studio where I asked Kwest to give Sadie a ride back (and so I could get a chance to find out what Jude was up to while I was out.)

As I walked into the studio, I saw Jude on her cell. Even though I wanted to know who she was talking to, I decided to respect her privacy. I figured she was talking to Kat or Jamie, so why did I have a lump the size of Mt. Rushmore in my throat?

When Jude finished her conversation with whoever was on the other side, she waved me over and said, "Tommy, you'll never guess who that was!"

"Who?" I said, dreading the possibility that it could be Jude's mom, and Jude just told her about us, and she was on her way over to beat the living daylights out of me, then take the keys to my Viper and drive back and forth over me until I was hospitalized for life, while laughing hysterically at my demise…

"That was E.J., and she said that you'd be on Under the Mic also!" Jude said, referring to the national talk show that featured hot new artists and their music. She hugged me, ignorant of the fact that I wasn't performing any songs.

"Me? Why? I'm not going solo or anything. You know producing's a full-time gig. And I've definitely got my hands full producing you." I said, throwing my arm around her shoulder.

Jude punched me in the arm, feigning her exasperation. "They asked you to go on because they want to get your take on what it's like to produce me. You'll have to answer questions like, 'Is Jude as temperamental as the tabloids make her out to be?", and 'Is Jude really stalking Eden, or is she simply sending your typical, run-of-the-mill hate mail?'"

I smiled as I recognized the kind of questions that every artist has to deal with, and I knew I'd be able to handle them the way I'd handled my rocky relationship with Jude. Jude took that to mean that I wanted to spend some time with her, which I did, and we spent the next few hours working on Jude's song and having full-fledged make-out sessions before we went on our first official date.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: I decided to get this out since I've had so many thoughts and ideas, I couldn't wait for tomorrow. Hope you like it!

Back at G Major:

I walked in and saw that Jude and Kwest were still recording, so I went and talked with Georgia and E.J. for a minute. When I returned, Jude still hadn't finished, so I sat down next to Kwest as he handed the controls over to me.

"Hey Kwest. How's our girl?" I asked, wondering how much longer this would take.

"Awesome, man. Just listen to her." Kwest said as Jude continued belting out her song.

I listened to a few bars before nodding my head in approval. "That's our Jude. Never one to be satisfied until it's absolutely perfect."

"Ours, or yours?" Kwest joked, punching me in the arm lightly.

"Listen, man. I gotta ask you a favor." I waited until I had Kwest's attention.

"Sure, man. What is it?"

"It's about tonight. I want everything to go well, so here's what I need you to do…"

I told Kwest what I needed him to do, and Kwest was more than happy to help.

As Jude finished her last few notes, she looked up, jumped off her chair, and practically flew into my lap.

"Hey Tommy, are you ready to go?" Jude asked, excited.

"Sure, but we still have plenty of time before we have to get there." I assured her, loving her enthusiasm.

"OK, I want to go home and get ready for tonight first. Can you give me a ride?" Jude fluttered her eyelashes at me.

"Do you even have to ask?" I said, as I grabbed her hand. "Kwest, man, we're taking off. Got everything taken care of?"

"You know it," Kwest nodded. "Jude, just make sure you don't keep Tommy up too late. You know how he needs his beauty sleep, otherwise he gets cranky in the morning."

Kwest and Jude instantly cracked up, while I replied testily, "Very funny, guys. Enough cracks at me, OK?"

"Oh, come on, Tommy. That's our favorite kind of entertainment, right, Kwest?" Jude looked from Kwest to me, giving me the same look I always give her when she has to do something she doesn't want to do but ends up doing for me.

"You'd better watch it, man. Jude's using your own tactics against you. And we know how much you can't resist her." Kwest laughed as Jude wrapped her arms around me, knowing perfectly well she'd won that round.

"OK, I admit. She is pretty irresistible," I said as I touched my forehead to hers. "Come on, babe, we'd better get going if we want to get there by the time we're supposed to."

I started dragging Jude off, but not before Jude replied sassily, "What? You mean little Tommy Q can't just walk in whenever he wants and get instant service?"

I stopped long enough to spit out, "Of course I can. Anytime, anywhere. Let's get going already, OK?"

Kwest and Jude exchanged a look, and Jude willingly followed me out.

At the Harrison house:

We'd just stepped in as Jude broke free from my grasp and flew up the stairs, calling out, "I'll just be a minute." Since I knew how long Jude could take, I made myself comfortable, sat down on the living room sofa, and picked up a magazine to read. After a few minutes, I was tired of reading, so I stood up and walked over to the fireplace mantel. I saw that the mantel was covered with pictures of Sadie, Jude, and the family. Every one of those pictures reflected happiness. I reflected on my own family, who I hadn't kept in close contact with since my split from Boyz Attack. Come to think of it, I hadn't been close with my family since I joined Boyz Attack, but just thinking about it made me envious of Jude's situation. Even with all the drama between Sadie and Jude. I heard a click as someone unlocked the front door and walked in.

I turned as I heard a familiar voice. "Hey, Tommy, I didn't expect to see you here."

I automatically responded, more out of politeness than out of interest, "Hey, Sadie. Jude just invited me in for a minute. We'll be out of here in no time."

"Oh? Where are you guys going?" Sadie asked, curious.

"We have this party with Georgia, E.J., Kwest, and a few other people. It's in preparation for her upcoming release party."

"Oh, OK." I was glad to see Sadie quickly losing interest. "So, Tommy, does our arrangement still stand?"

"Of course," I said, promising myself that I'd talk to Jude and the others so that we could come up with a plan to get out of it.

Just then, Jude descended the stairs. She was breathtakingly beautiful, not that she ordinarily wasn't, but that night she was even more beautiful than I ever imagined. Her hair hung down in soft waves, and she wore an amazing shimmering gown complete with matching purse and heels. She asked me, "How do I look?" as she stepped off the last step and spun around slowly.

"Wow," was all I managed to get out, before Sadie responded with "Pick up your jaw, Tommy." She retreated to the kitchen, not even wanting to say goodbye before we left.

I offered Jude my arm, escorting her outside to my Viper. I opened the door for Jude as she smiled widely, then got in the driver's seat and drove off to the restaurant.

After we arrived, we were greeted warmly by the host, who proceeded to seat us at a table outside on a private covered terrace. After we placed and received our orders, I noticed that Jude wasn't eating.

"Jude, is everything OK?" I asked, suddenly worried that she was thinking that there was something going on between me and Sadie.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about a test I have tomorrow, that's all," Jude said, giving me a don't-worry-I'm-OK look.

I took her hand and squeezed it a little. She smiled, and the two of us continued eating and talking. We talked about E.J.'s peppiness and knack for driving everyone crazy trying to get the right image, Kwest's ability to understand and sympathize with Jude on several levels, even though he was my best friend, and Georgia, who, at many times, made Jude see her as someone she could confide in and ask for advice, professional as well as personal.

We were just about to leave the restaurant when Jude's cell phone went off. Jude answered it once she saw that it was Sadie, thinking that Sadie wouldn't call unless it was important.

"Hey Sadie, what's up?" Jude said, wondering if anything had happened.

"Not much, except for one little thing…" Sadie trailed off, loving how she could get and keep Jude's attention so easily.

"What's that?" Jude prepared for the worst. Knowing Sadie, it was probably something bad for Jude and good for her.

"Didn't Tommy tell you? He took me out to lunch today. At that nice little Italian place by G Major." Jude could almost hear the pride in Sadie's voice.

"Thanks for the tip," Jude said, fighting to control the range of emotions inside her: first jealousy, then anger, sadness, and indifference. She promised herself that she'd never show how much Tommy had hurt her by taking Sadie out that afternoon, either to Tommy, Sadie, or herself. She saw that I was watching her, wondering what was going on, and hung up shortly after.

"Jude, what was that all about?" I was clearly puzzled.

"Tommy, did you take Sadie out for lunch this afternoon?" Jude asked, point-blank.

I decided that lying to Jude would hurt her just much as telling her would, perhaps even more, and told her the truth. "Yes, I did. We went to this little Italian place just around the corner from G Major."

"So does this mean you like her?" Jude asked, incredulous at my honesty.

I took her hands in my own, and looked right into her eyes. "No, Jude, I don't. Sadie's blackmailed me into taking her out, otherwise she was going to tell your parents about us."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Jude was stunned for a second, then became angry. "Why should I believe you now?"

"After all we've been through, Jude, I thought you knew me better than that. I thought you knew how much I love you and want to be with you, and how I'd do anything to keep it that way." I reached for her hands, but she pulled away.

"How many times have you said? Not to me, but to other girls? And how many times have you really meant it?" She stood up to leave, as I tried to stop her from making a scene. Not that there wasn't one already, since all of the people in the restaurant had turned around and were watching us. As if that was enough, Jude took her leftover plate of still warm spaghetti and meatballs and promptly dropped it all over my head. "Oh, I'm sorry, Tommy, I didn't mean to do that." She paused, then continued, "Here, let me clean you up a bit." She took my glass of water and proceeded to throw it in my face, then walked out the door without looking back.

My POV: I am so gonna kill Sadie.

AN: So, what do you think? I had originally written an alternate ending, but this one seemed much more fun to write (and I had a great time writing it). As always, read and review.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: As always, please read and review. And if I don't get the next chapter up by tomorrow or Sunday, have a Happy New Year everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star, or any of the characters. But I'd love to own Tim Rozon (he's so hot!). And Alexz rocks! I need my Instant Star fix, or I'll go crazy waiting until February 10!

After going to the restroom to wash up (as much as I could), I called Kwest.

"Hey, Kwest," I said. Not bothering to wait for his response, I added, "There's been a change in plans."

"What? What happened?" Kwest was curious.

"Let's just say, restaurant, Jude, spaghetti, and a really cold glass of water, and leave it at that, OK?" I snapped back, harsher than I intended.

"Oh," Kwest replied, getting the idea. "Want me to talk to her?"

Even though I was still upset about the whole thing, I wanted Sadie all to myself and Kwest to butter Jude up before I went to go talk to her.

"Man, you know me too well," I said, knowing that if anyone could help in this situation, Kwest could.

"And what about Sadie? Should we deal with her now, or later?" Kwest asked.

"Don't worry about her, she's taken it to a new level. This time, I'll be the one to take care of it." Kwest knew when to leave me alone, because when I used that tone of voice, he knew that I was in my element. No one messed with Tom Quincy and got away without serious consequences. And everyone knew that I wasn't playing around anymore.

It was now or never, I thought. I said good-bye to Kwest, and mentally prepared myself for the confrontation with Sadie. Jude had told me before about how Sadie was on the debate team, and I already knew how she could easily twist things around and make others look bad. I decided that the best way to approach her was to tell her the truth, and leave her no room for misunderstanding.

Once I felt ready, I headed over to the Harrison house. Fortunately for me, Mrs. Harrison was there, since she was the one who opened the door. She glanced down at me and asked, "What happened to you?" "Don't ask, it's a long story," I muttered, not wanting to recount the night's events. I tried to change the subject by asking her if I could talk to Sadie. I also asked her to stay, since it was extremely important that she heard exactly what was going on. Mrs. Harrison looked puzzled, but agreed to do as I'd requested.

Sadie breezed in a few minutes later, and was slightly surprised to see her mother there with me. Mrs. Harrison suggested that we all sit down in the living room, and I wasted no time in getting down to business.

"Sadie, why did you call Jude when you knew she was out with me?" I asked pointedly, knowing that she had little room to work with.

"Because I had something important to tell her," Sadie said, thinking that was all.

"And what was that exactly?" I coaxed her to continue.

"That I went out to lunch with you. I really don't like these questions, but since we're asking them, why did you go out with me to lunch when you were planning to take Jude out to dinner?" Sadie said, throwing me for a loop. Note to self: never date a girl who's on the debate team – she'll just turn your words against you.

"Because you said that if I didn't go out with you, you'd tell your parents about me and Jude," I admitted, not being able to look at Mrs. Harrison.

"What about you and Jude?" Mrs. Harrison asked, as Sadie sat back, completely satisfied.

"Uh, it's funny, really," I said, delaying the endless lecturing and shouting that were sure to follow. "At the Christmas party, Jude and I got caught under the mistletoe, so we had to kiss."

"You what?" Mrs. Harrison looked shocked. "Sadie, why didn't you tell me this earlier?

And you," she said, jabbing her finger in my chest, "Why didn't you or Jude say anything? She may be 18, but she's still my baby."

I'd had enough lecturing at that point, so I laid it all out for them. "Your baby heard from Sadie that we'd had lunch earlier that day, and your baby was the one who splattered her spaghetti and meatballs all over me, then tried to help wash it off with her ice-cold glass of water. So don't tell me off for doing anything, because I've had enough from all three of you."

The look on Mrs. Harrison's face was unreadable, and neither Sadie nor Mrs. Harrison said anything for a moment. Sadie looked like she was waiting for her mom to let me have it, and she had convinced herself into believing I was all hers. However, Mrs. Harrison shocked us both by cracking up, and between giggles, she managed to get out, "Did Jude really pour all her spaghetti and water all over you?"

"Yeah, and it's not that funny, either," I replied testily, which just made her laugh even harder. When she'd managed to calm down, I asked her, "So are you mad that I kissed Jude?"

"No, of course not," Mrs. Harrison said, much to my relief. "She's 18, and even though she's my baby, she has a mind of her own, which she reminds me of from time to time. And Sadie," she added, turning to her eldest daughter, "you shouldn't have kept that from Jude. You know how close Jude and Tommy are."

"That's only because they work together. Tommy and I are closer in age, so we'd be better off together," Sadie protested.

"That may be true, Sadie, but we don't really have anything in common. Jude and me, we have more than just music to keep us together," I implied, silently asking for Mrs. Harrison's permission to date Jude.

"You're right, Tommy. I can't believe I didn't see it earlier. Now that I think about it, I've seen the way you and Jude are when you're together. The two of you are almost inseparable. You two spend endless hours working, and when you're not, you're still close. Your relationship is just like the one I have with Stuart, and I met him when I was just around Jude's age. From the look of it, you're destined to be together." Noticing Sadie's pout, Mrs. Harrison continued, "Sadie, I know you don't want to hear this, but it's the truth. You don't really know much about Tommy, except for what you saw during his Boyz Attack days, and what you've learned from your media class, but other than that, you don't know much about his private life. Jude does, since she sees him practically every day. That kind of relationship is bound to last, regardless of how many obstacles come up. Tommy, you have my permission to date Jude, and Sadie, if I hear from either Tommy or Jude that you're trying to take Tommy from Jude, then you're grounded indefinitely. I don't care that you're 20, I don't care if you're not under my roof. You're still my daughter and you won't interfere in their lives. Tommy, keep me posted, OK?"

"OK," I said, both relieved that I'd survived through the interrogation, happy that I'd finally beaten Sadie at her own game, and happy that I could finally be with Jude without hiding it from her parents. But first, I had to get her back. I was still mulling over how to do that when Jude walked in.

"Jude, honey, we're in the living room," Mrs. Harrison called out. Jude poked her head in, and her jaw dropped as soon as she spotted me. She turned around quickly, and tried to escape upstairs, but I pleaded, "Jude, wait," as she strode away.

AN: I know this chapter's short, but I'll try and post more tomorrow. But if I don't, Happy New Year everyone!


	12. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!

AN: Since I haven't gotten any responses from my last chapter, I'm thinking about ending it. I know it's the New Year, and everyone's starting classes soon, but if you're interested in reading this fanfic, let me know whether I should continue or not (otherwise, I'll end it in a chapter or two). Thanks to everyone who's read and commented. You guys are great!


	13. Chapter 12

AN: Thanks catch1star and nessalyn for your comments. You both are really encouraging and I'll keep on posting (since the story is going to have a few twists coming up). This chapter's one of my favorites, because it's got Tommy groveling and begging for Jude's forgiveness. Will she forgive him, or will something unexpected happen? Read on to find out. Happy New Year everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star, or any of the characters. But I'd love to own Tim Rozon (he's so hot!). And Alexz rocks! I need my Instant Star fix, or I'll go crazy waiting until February 10!

Chapter 12:

I caught up to Jude and grabbed her wrist just as I saw her start towards the front door. "Jude, please, I can explain…"

"Whatever you're going to say, I don't want to hear it," Jude said, annoyed. "I've heard your excuses before, and I'm not gonna fall for them or you, so just leave me alone."

"Jude, I know I should have told you before, but I knew you were gonna take it the wrong way. What was I supposed to do? If I'd told you then that I had to take Sadie out since she was blackmailing me, you would've been mad, but if I told you after that I did, you would've been mad anyway. Either way, I'm screwed." I said earnestly. I searched for any signs that Jude would relent.

"Tommy, if you really cared about me, you wouldn't have cared if Sadie had gone and blabbed your little secret to my mom. You wouldn't care if Georgia or E.J. had issues with our relationship, and as far as I'm concerned, as of right now, there is no we anymore, Tommy. Not after what you just pulled." Jude rushed out the door before I could stop her.

I raked my hand through my hair, not believing what I just heard. For once, I didn't know what to do. Sadie emerged from the living room (had she been listening all this time?), and smirked as she went upstairs. I left the Harrison's and drove, not really paying attention to where I was going. I still couldn't believe Jude wouldn't forgive me. I told her the truth, and she still wouldn't give me another chance. I don't know what I'll do to get her back, but maybe Kwest would. I think I'll go talk to him about it.

Jude's POV: I can't believe Tommy. He'd only agree to take Sadie out if he liked her. And why does Sadie always get what she wants? I hate them both so much, but I never expected Tommy to do this. I don't know what to do, except that I can't forgive Tommy for what he did. I know, I'll go talk to Kwest about it. He always knows what to do.

Jude went to G Major, and ignored everyone except the man she'd been looking for. "Kwest, do you have a second?" Kwest was in the middle of something, but dropped everything the moment he saw Jude's expression. "Come on, let's go to Studio A." They got in no sooner than Jude broke down, crying. "What did Tommy do this time?" Kwest urged.

"He's such an idiot. I know he's your best friend, but why does he always hurt me so much?" Jude sobbed. "First he tells me he loves me, then he takes Sadie out and doesn't tell me. What am I supposed to think? Then when I go confront him, he doesn't apologize. So does he like me, or does he like Sadie? And why can't he give me a straight answer?"

"You're right. Tommy's stupid for hurting you. He doesn't know how good he's got it until he goes and screws things up between the two of you. He doesn't deserve a girl like you, and you're much better off without him," Kwest said, holding Jude in his arms and silently cursing Tommy for breaking Jude's heart yet again. He wondered whether he'd ever have a chance with Jude, and figured this was not the time to start anything, with Jude being in such a fragile state and him not being the type of guy to take advantage of a girl.

"Do you really think so?" Jude stopped crying, only to look up at Kwest with tear-filled eyes.

"Yeah," Kwest admitted, "you deserve a guy who'll always be there for you, whenever you need it, a guy who listens to you and makes you happy. You don't need someone who always breaks your heart, gives you a hard time about everything, and you constantly clash with day in and day out."

"Yeah, you're right," Jude said, noticing for the first time how close her and Kwest were. "Every time Tommy hurts me, you're always there and you always know how to comfort me and make me feel better. Why can't Tommy be like that?"

"Tommy's just Tommy," Kwest began. "It's not his fault…" he said, before Jude silenced him by lifting her mouth up to his.

Meanwhile, I got to G Major and made a beeline for Studio A, where I knew Kwest always was. "Hey, Kwest, have you seen…" I said, suddenly noticing Kwest's and Jude's embrace. I felt my heart drop and my stomach clench as I realized I wasn't hallucinating.

Jude broke off the kiss, noticing I was in the room. "Hi, Tommy, what's up?" she asked innocently. Her eyes glittered maliciously, and she grinned.

I ignored her, knowing if I responded, we'd be going at it for the rest of the day. "Kwest, can I talk to you privately?" I said, holding back all the anger I felt at that moment.

Kwest was about to answer, when Jude cut in, "Anything you have to say, you can say in front of me, right, baby?" she said, cuddling up to Kwest.

I was silently happy to see Kwest squirm uncomfortably. "Uh, maybe I should get going," he said, just as Jude said, "No!" and I said "Yes!" Jude clung to Kwest's arm with a vice-like grip, and it didn't look like Kwest wanted to get away.

"Fine," I conceded. "But only if Jude doesn't interrupt every time I ask Kwest something."

"Fine," Jude grudgingly agreed. "What was it you wanted to tell us?" She emphasized the last word, knowing it would get to me. It did.

"What's up with you? Kwest, you're my best friend. You know how much Jude means to me, and how much I love her. How could you do that to me?" I was still in shock from seeing them together. "And Jude, I know you're mad at me for taking Sadie out, but kissing Kwest just to get back at me is a little bit much."

Jude was the first to speak up. "Tommy, this isn't even about you and me. Kwest listens to me, and he knows how to make me feel better. Every time you break my heart, Kwest is there to pick up the pieces. So why shouldn't I fall for a sensitive, caring guy like Kwest?" she said, putting her arm around him. Kwest returned the favor.

"Tommy, I know you don't want to hear it, but Jude's right. I've seen you hurt Jude to much. If you love her, why do you keep hurting her so badly? She deserves so much more, and I hate seeing her heartbroken like she is now." Kwest was about to continue, but I'd heard enough.

"That doesn't excuse either of you. Jude, I'm sorry for everything, but just because I took Sadie out doesn't give either of you the right to get back at me for making out. I can't believe you guys would do this to me. And Kwest, I thought you were my best friend, but I never imagined you'd stoop so low. Right now, I don't want to see either of you, so I'm just gonna go before I do something I regret." I hastily made my way out the door before either of them could say anything, and went to talk to Georgia about giving Jude another producer and me another person to work with, because there was no way in the world I'd work with Kwest anymore. Georgia listened to me as I explained the situation, and reminded me that I still had to go on Under the Mic tomorrow with Jude, and because I'd told her so late, there was no one else to work the sound booth except Kwest. But she did say she and E.J. would be there to step in, and she promised to hire more security (not for Jude, but for Kwest). Not very good consolation for the predicament I was in, but I just had to go through, no matter how rough it was. She casually mentioned that they were going to ask me about Jude's and my relationship, and I promised her to keep up the media's image of Jude's and my relationship intact, even if there wasn't one and it killed me.

AN: The next chapter will be a long one, but will have lots of action going on. I might have to split it up into two parts if it doesn't let me upload the file. Anyways, I hope you like it (I know I will)!


	14. Chapter 13

AN: Thanks to ISobsessedXO, -x-alexzfan4ever-x-, and ultimaterockgoddess for all your positive feedback. I really needed it. And if I forgot to mention anyone else who gave me feedback, I'm sorry. Thanks you guys. I can't do this without you. Just for the record, this is going to be a long chapter, but there will be plenty of stuff going on.

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, Temporary Insanity, Skin, Kwest, Jude, or Tommy. But I do own the announcer. I love Tim Rozon!

Chapter 13:

Place: At the Under the Mic interview.

Announcer: "Next up, we have Jude Harrison, Instant Star, her producer, Tom Quincy, and sound engineer, Kwest Barnes. Let me first say, Jude, you're an amazing artist."

Jude (blushing slightly as the audience cheers): "Thank you."

Announcer: "Rumor has it that you're involved with your producer. Is this true?"

Jude: "Yes, it was."

Announcer: "Was? As in you're not anymore?"

Jude (smiling as girls in the audience cheer that Tommy is single again): "That's right. Tommy and I broke up."

Announcer: "I don't want to pry, but can you tell everyone why?"

Jude: "I'd be happy to. Tommy wanted to keep our relationship secret, and I was tired of keeping it from everyone, including my fans." She smiled even more as everyone cheered, this time for her.

Announcer: "So does this mean you'll be concentrating all your attention on your music?"

Jude (hinting mysteriously): "Most of it, anyway."

Announcer (puzzled): "What do you mean by that?"

Jude (glancing at Kwest as he silently gives her his approval): "I've met someone recently that has more staying power than Tommy will ever have."

Announcer (turning to me): "Ouch, Tommy. You really blew it, didn't you?"

Me (more than I cared to admit): "Yeah, I did. She was the best, and I took her for granted."

Announcer: "I'll get back to you in a moment, Tom. But first I want to ask Jude who she's met. That is, if you don't mind answering?" More cheers from the crowd.

"No problem," Jude replied. "It's Kwest." Several girls in the audience sighed happily, while others clapped and cheered.

I knew I looked as livid as I felt that Jude would so openly share her personal life with her fans.

Announcer (stunned): "You mean, Kwest, Tommy's right hand man and best friend?"

"Former best friend," I cut in, taking my cracks whenever and wherever I could.

The announcer was still in shock. "Kwest, why would you risk your friendship with Tommy for Jude?"

Kwest (suddenly aware of all the attention he was getting, looks Jude straight in the eye): "Because she's worth it."

The audience sighed collectively as Jude took Kwest's hand and squeezed it gently.

The announcer continued. "So, Tommy, what happened? What did Jude mean by taking her for granted?"

"It's a long story," I said, as the crowd prompted me to continue. "But I will say this, I didn't realize what I was doing to Jude until she left. I should have treated her better."

"Jude, what do you have to say to Tommy?" The announcer urged.

"Only that he finally got what he deserved. He didn't want me, so now he doesn't have me, and he never will." Jude declared fiercely.

"Ouch!" The announcer grimaced. "Tommy, your response?"

"Only that I won't work with back-stabbing, two-timing exes and ex-best friends who hook up behind your back," I replied, still upset over the whole thing.

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't hooked up with my sister," Jude exclaimed, thinking that she had me this time.

"What? Tommy, you dated Jude's sister?" The announcer was confused.

"I never dated your sister! I only took her out to keep her quiet, because otherwise she would have told your mom about us!" I spat out, not caring anymore if everyone knew what happened between us.

"Yeah, that's it, Tommy. Be the coward that you've always been. Take the easy way out every time you feel like you don't want to take responsibility for your decisions or actions. You told me once not to care what people think, but you don't follow your own advice now, do you?" Jude argued.

Kwest sat there, not believing that this was taking place on national TV. The audience listened attentively, jeering and booing in all the right places.

"Look, Jude, I just wanted to protect you. I mean, your career's on the line, and I don't want to be the one to ruin it, OK?" I insisted. All the girls in the audience responded again, this time everyone went, "Aww…" Some even started chanting, "Take Tommy back, take Tommy back…"

Announcer (finally getting control of the situation again): "Uh, Jude, Tommy has a song he wants to sing. Tommy, are you ready?"

"I was born ready," I replied cockily, and winked at the girls in the audience as they cheered again.

I took the stage, and started singing:

(AN: I tried to use the lyrics to Temporary Insanity, but had to change them around a bit to make it fit. So if it doesn't rhyme, that's why. I'm not a very good songwriter, but I hope you like the change)

What just happened

Did you kiss him

Cuz that's a place

You've never been

Until now

And I don't know

How it's gonna be after this

Do you pretend your feelings don't exist at all

Or do you fall?

Your confusion shows

Whenever he gets so close

You stumble, you stutter

Forget what to say

You're nervous, you wonder why

You're acting this way

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and him?

Is it real or is it fantasy

Is he out or will you let him in

You made a move

Please change your mind

Too much to lose, you've crossed the line

Between friends

And something more

It was all a big mistake

You know it was, it's not too late

To undo

You know you really want to

Let him go, 'cuz you know

How you feel about me

What I really mean

It's crazy to want me

But it's meant to be

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and him?

Is it real or is it fantasy

Is he out or will you let him in

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and him?

Is it real or is it fantasy

Is he out or is he in?

What you do to me

What comes over me

If this is crazy, there's nothing you'd rather be

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and him?

Is it real or is it fantasy?

Is he out or will you let him in

It's temporary insanity

What's going on with you and him?

Is it real or is it fantasy

Is he out or will you let him in

Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind

Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind

Announcer: "OK, that was great, Tom. Now, Jude, you said you had something you wanted to perform?"

Jude: "That's right. I kinda wanted to say something, but I think it's much better if I sing it."

She began strumming her guitar, never taking her eyes off me, then sang:

I drift away to a place

Another kind of life

Take away the pain

I create my paradise

Everything I've held has hit the wall

What used to be yours isn't yours at all

Falling apart and all that I'm asking

Is it a crime? Am I overreacting?

Oh, he's under my skin

Just give me something to get rid of him

I got a reason now to bury this alive

Another little white lie

So what you had didn't fit

Among the pretty things

Never fear, never fear

I now know where you've been

Braids have been untied

As ribbons fall away

Leave the consequence

My tears you taste

Falling apart and all that I question

Is this a dream, or is this my lesson?

Oh, he's under my skin

Just give me something to get rid of him

I got a reason now to bury this alive

Another little white lie

I don't believe I'll be all right

I don't believe I'll be OK

I don't believe how you've thrown me away.

I do believe you didn't try

I do blame you for every lie

When I look in your eyes

I don't see mine.

Oh, he's under my skin

Just give me something to get rid of him

I got a reason now to bury this alive

Another little white lie

Oh, my permission to sin

You might have started my reckoning

I got a reason now to bury him alive

Another little white lie

Announcer: "Well, there you have it. Two famous musicians who speak louder through their songs than anything they could have said. Thank you both for coming, but I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Maybe you could come back sometime?"

Jude: "Sure, anytime you want. Let me know, OK?"

Me: "Yeah, OK."

I went backstage to get off all the makeup and gunk off me. Even after years of performing, I never really got used to the stuff, and only put on as little as needed.

After I got cleaned up, I went over to Jude, who was unfortunately still attached to Kwest. "That was a nice little act you put on there, Harrison," I said, not knowing what I was going to say next.

"That wasn't an act, Tommy. You still don't get it, do you? You. Hurt. Me. End of story."

"No, it's not. How many times do you want me to apologize to you?" I asked.

"That's beside the point. You knew I cared about you, but that didn't stop you from asking Sexy Sadie out, did it?" Jude spat out bitterly.

"Jude, I'm sorry. OK?" I pleaded with her.

"OK. Now try meaning it," Jude put her arm around Kwest and started walking away.

"Look, this is hard for me, OK? Jude, I didn't mean to hurt you, but I didn't know what else to do." I admitted, hoping that she'd relent and give me another chance.

Jude paused, then turned around slowly. "A lot of people have been saying that lately. And they've all hurt me by opening their mouths. So get over yourself, Quincy. I've had it up to here with your excuses." Her words sank in, and I stood there helpless as I saw her walk away, while Kwest put his arm around her shoulders possessively.

AN: What's next for Jude and Tommy? Please read and review to find out! I might just add in a new character or two to spice things up. The next chapter will have lots of Jude/Tommy connections, unless I decide to take it in a different direction first (I haven't decided yet).


	15. Chapter 14

AN: Thanks to MzTommyQ, lr2010, and H.E.B. for your encouraging comments. Also thanks to -x-alexzfan4ever-x- for your suggestion. Thanks guys! I can't do this without you. As always, there will be plenty of stuff going on. I don't know how many drinks it takes for the average person to get drunk, so for this story, I said five (but I really don't know since it depends on several factors). So I'm probably wrong, but I just felt like adding that bit of information.

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, Kwest, Jude, Tommy, or Georgia. I love Tim Rozon!

Chapter 14:

Time: A couple of weeks before Jude's release party.

Kwest and Jude have been spending vast amounts of time in the studio, both recording Jude's single and making out. I know this, because Georgia's walked in on them several times, and hasn't hesitated to tell me. She also saw a tape of the interview, which E.J. had been upset over because she feels that it makes Jude look like a slut (which she is for cheating on me with my former best friend, and all because she thought I was hooking up with her sister, which I'd never do in a million years.)

Thankfully, Georgia's perceptive, and she immediately picked up on the tension between Kwest and me when we got to the studio. I didn't even have to say anything, and she goes and pulls us into her office, where Jude's been waiting for a few minutes.

"OK, guys, the reason I called you in here is because I know what's going on. I wouldn't mind Jude's and Kwest's relationship so much, but seeing as Jude's new relationship with Kwest is going to put a strain on your relationships with Tommy, it's not going to be easy for you to work together now. But I can't promise that you won't work together from time to time. So here's what I want you to do: be civil to one another. Kwest, Jude, keep your relationship strictly outside the studio, because when you come in here, I expect you to be completely professional and focused on your work. I don't care to hear about your personal problems, so deal with them on your own time, not mine. Jude, don't go and ramble on to Tommy about how Kwest treats you well or makes you feel better than Tommy did, and Tommy, don't start anything with either of them. Jude's release party is coming up, and I want it to go off without any major fireworks. I also don't want the media to catch wind of any problems between you guys, other than the fact that Jude and Tommy broke up, Jude's now with Kwest, but give off the impression that you three are still just as tight as ever. Got it?"

Kwest, Jude, and I all nodded our heads numbly, knowing that when Georgia got like this, there was no use arguing with her. Then we went back to the sound booth to record, and the only people who said anything to each other were Jude and Kwest. After I left the studio, I went out for a couple drinks to clear my head of the day's events. I stopped by a local club, one that Kwest and I used to go to after work, and began drowning my sorrows, one glass after another. After about the fifth drink, I staggered up to the bar, only to see Kwest sitting there.

"Hey, bartender," I slurred, starting to feel the effects. "Pass me another one, will ya?"

Kwest turned around. "Man, you look awful. How many have you had, anyway?"

"Why should you care? You took my girl, and now you're trying to take my drink," I said, as the bartender passed me another one, briefly mentioning that he wouldn't give me any more.

"Look, Tommy, I just want Jude to be happy, alright? I never wanted her to come between us, but she did." Kwest said, trying to resolve the situation.

"Yeah, but you didn't exactly fight her off now, did you? See, unlike you, when Sadie tried to come on to me, I didn't give in because I knew it would hurt Jude. But I lost her anyway to my best friend, who didn't care that I loved her, and took her from me so that he could "protect" her." I spat out, still angry that they could do this to me.

"I know you love her, man, but I never thought that losing her would make you be this way. I mean, look at you, man. All wasted and trashed. I've never seen you like this over anyone, and you've been with a lot of drop-dead, gorgeous women." Kwest said, still in shock at my appearance.

"Yeah, well there's never been anyone before Jude who's meant anything to me, and there'll never be anyone after her. She's the one, Kwest. But she's so pissed at me right now, I don't think she'll ever forgive me." I said miserably. "At least, not with you around. Quit being her knight in shining armor, and maybe I'll have a shot."

"OK, but I'm not breaking up with Jude just because you said so. I'm only doing this 'cuz it just doesn't feel right. I shouldn't have come between the two of you, since you have enough issues to deal with in your relationship. And anyway, Jude's like my little sister, always looking up to me and asking my advice about everything. I can't date someone who follows me around everywhere, constantly asking what I think of her or what she should do before she does anything. It's starting to get annoying, but don't tell her I said that." Kwest shuddered. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

"What about my Viper?" I said, worried.

"Give me the keys," Kwest commanded.

"No way, you're not driving my Viper. What if you crash it in an accident?" I objected vehemently.

"Do you honestly think you'd stand a better chance of getting it back in one piece?" Kwest replied, gloating, since he knew he was right.

"Fine, but if anything happens, I'll sue you for everything you've got." I fumbled in my pocket for the keys, then resisted as Kwest pulled them out of my grasp.

"OK, then." Kwest walked away with a triumphant expression on his face. Kwest grinned mischievously. "I wonder if I should let Georgia know about this little incident…"

"No, she doesn't have to know everything that goes on in my life. She can read about it in the tabloids if she wants. I know E.J. lives off them." I replied.

On the way back, it was just like old times. Me and Kwest, cruisin' the streets, laughing it up just like we always did. I guess we'd managed a tentative truce, because we both wanted what was best for Jude. But I knew that regaining her trust, not to mention love, was going to be difficult, but I was ready to do whatever it took to get her back. Even if it meant swallowing my pride and confidence to do it.

Meanwhile, Jude was sulking in Studio A, where she was still writing down lyrics. She wanted to get as much emotion into them about how hurt and upset she was, because she knew they made the best songs. Georgia walked in, and noticed that she was still hard at work.

"Still at work, I see," Georgia mused.

Jude looked up, startled. "Oh, hey, Georgia. I was just working on some lyrics."

"Tommy used to stay late to write lyrics too," Georgia replied, lost in thought. Seeing Jude's frown, she added, "Not that you guys are anything alike."

"Right," Jude said sarcastically, and rolled her eyes.

"Listen, Jude, about earlier…" Georgia began.

"I got it, Georgia. No picking on Tommy or I'll hurt his feelings. And no making out with Kwest in front of him, I know. It's no fun without picking on Tommy though." Jude grumbled.

"I just don't want to see you throw away a friendship that you'll regret losing later on. I know, I've been there. And I don't want to see you go through what I've gone through. It's brutal. Not to mention unpleasant. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't let the mistakes other people make affect your perspective of them. Just because they make mistakes doesn't mean that they want to hurt you. It's just that sometimes when they want what's best for you, they inevitably hurt you without meaning to." Georgia implied, knowing Jude would understand what she was saying.

"OK, Georgia. Thanks for your advice. I guess it's time to bite the bullet, eh?" Jude sighed as she stood up. She figured now was as good a time as any to settle matters with Tommy and Kwest. Deep down, she knew Georgia was right, but she still couldn't resist the occasional jab at Tommy's ego. She called Kwest and got him to agree with a meeting between the three of them. Now, all she had to do was wait and find out what happened next.

AN: What's next? Please r & r, you know you want to ;o). I was going to include a new character in this chapter, but it didn't fit very well. So I don't know when I'll add one in, maybe in the next chapter, which will have more Jude/Tommy fighting. That always ends up in really good make-up sessions :o)! That is, unless I decide to take it in a different direction first! Let me know if you have any ideas, and I'll try and make them work.


	16. Chapter 15

AN: Thanks, everyone, for all your positive feedback! Without you, this wouldn't be possible. This chapter might be a little boring, and the next one might be as well, but it will help set up later chapters (although I haven't figured out how yet).

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, Waste My Time, Kwest, Jude, Tommy, E.J., or Georgia. I love Tim Rozon! And Jude rocks! I can't wait until Instant Star comes back. I'm having serious Instant Star withdrawal :o(!

Chapter 15:

Time: The next morning

Jude walked in, noticing that Kwest and me are already there. I told Kwest to act like we're still mad at each other, so that Jude'll think she has something on me. I can't wait to see her expression when she realizes she's been fooled, and by little Tommy Q, no less. Jude picks up on the apparent tension in the room, as Kwest and I are sitting at the sound booth, as far away from one another as possible.

"Hey, Kwest," Jude flashes him a smile as she pretends I'm not even there.

"Hi Jude," Kwest smiles in acknowledgement. "What do you want to do today?"

I interrupt with my usual, "Jude's gonna work on her new song. The one called Waste My Time."

Jude, easily fooled by my expert acting abilities, retaliates by saying, "Oh, and why does little Tommy Q think I'm going to work on that? There's nothing wrong with it, it's practically finished."

"See, that's where you're wrong, Harrison," I argued, getting into it. I love getting her all riled up over nothing. "Like your previous song, you sing it like it's a funeral dirge. You're the reason why this song sucks, because I've never seen anyone sing songs as slowly as you. Do you do everything so slowly?"

Jude (taken aback for a moment, quickly recovers): "No, I'd just rather get it right, rather than getting it right now, because that'd mean that there's something wrong with it, which you taught me never to do. As you always say, 'Never settle for second best. That'll put you above the rest.' "

"Ooh," I mocked Jude. "So you were listening to me. I thought you just ignored me whenever I tried to tell you something important."

Kwest laughed as Jude smacked me on the arm. Hard, and so not by accident. "Hey," I objected. "Just for that, I'm giving you Studio C to practice in."

"Oh yeah? Well then, I'll just tell Georgia what studio she said I could have. Kwest, didn't she say I could have whatever studio I wanted?" Jude looked over at Kwest, knowing he'd take her side.

"Don't look at me, I don't want Quincy here all up in my face." Kwest said. "It's enough that I have to be here in the same studio working with him. At least you get to go home early. I'm just stuck here until Mr. Gotta-get-it-perfect-until-I'm-satisfied lets me take off. Slave-driver," Kwest grumbled. Man, I should have known that Kwest was so good at faking it. He almost had me convinced. And I'm his best friend, which is saying something.

"Yeah, well, we'll just see about that." I said. I picked up the phone and gave Georgia a ring. "Hi Georgia, it's me. We're having a little disagreement about what studio's open for Jude to practice in…Studio C? Yeah, that's what I thought too. OK, I'll get off before E.J. has a conniption. Later." I hung up, a smug look on my face. "What'd I tell you? Did I call it or what?" Kwest and I laughed as Jude stuck out her tongue at me and stalked away, grabbing her guitar from the stand by her chair.

"I'll tell you what, Quincy. Just to humor you, I'll go along with it and record as many times as you want. I'll even listen to your advice and do what you tell me, until even you can't find anything wrong with it." Jude said, exasperated.

"OK, did I just hear you say that? There's gotta be a catch. What is it?" I asked, knowing it was big.

"The catch is that Kwest and me get to drive around in your Viper for a few hours. Deal?" Jude's eyes sparkled. I knew she had a plan to drive me insane.

"No deal. I don't let anyone drive my Viper. I'd have to be drunk out of my mind and institutionalized before I let anyone ride in it, so what makes you think you have the right to?" I said, putting an end to her fantasy. I know she's been eyeing my Viper for a while now, and would do almost anything to be able to feel the leather on her skin, the wind in her hair, and the sun shining down on her.

"OK, then, I guess we'll just have to settle for me fighting you over every note that I sing, the rhythm of the song, and the lyrics as well." Jude said, hoping to change my mind.

"Fine, what else is new? I'm still your producer, so whatever I say goes around here." I challenged. "If you want to do what you want, and have some weak-willed idiot who doesn't know anything about making music, then go ahead. Ask Georgia for someone else to produce you. 'Cuz I'm not gonna take any more of your antics. I want you to be the best artist out there, but I can't do that unless you do what I tell you to do. You want to be like Eden? Then go be a slut who's tone-deaf. But I know you, Jude. And you're better than that. All the stars out there right now, Jude's got the potential to be bigger and better than each one of them. It's just like Georgia said, 'You have the opportunity to make songs that can change people'. And I'm here to help you do that, but only if you're willing to work with me. If you're not, then there's nothing I can do. So what's it going to be?"

I was pleased to see that both Jude and Kwest had similar expressions on their faces after I gave them that ultimatum. Jude was so shocked that she was speechless, and Kwest was the first to recover.

"Wow, man, I'd no idea you thought Jude had that much potential." Kwest knew when to give credit where it was due, even though he was pretending to be upset at me over the way I'd treated Jude in the past.

"Yeah, why do you think that I've been, in Jude's words, 'the biggest pain in the butt' since we've started working together?"

Jude finally spoke. "So that explains your unending quest for sonic perfection. I thought it was just to get me to smack you upside the head."

Kwest burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but join in. Pretty soon, all three of us were hysterical, and we laughed even harder when E.J. walked in to see what was going on.

"Kwest, do you have a second?" E.J. asked. It sounded urgent.

"Yeah, E.J., what's going on?" Kwest looked puzzled. E.J. usually interrupted to talk to Jude or me, but never Kwest.

"Georgia needs to talk to you about something, but she's busy with something, so she asked me to get you."

"Yeah, OK," Kwest shrugged as Jude turned and gave him a look as if to say, what's going on? He left, and E.J. followed suit.

"So, girl, let's see what you got," I tried to sound encouraging, hoping that Jude didn't think I was a tyrant.

Jude hummed a few bars to herself softly, trying to get the right words and mood.

I stopped her, and said, "Don't overthink what you want to say, just say it. Don't be afraid to show what you're feeling. Just let it out, and the song will pretty much write itself."

I listened as she began to sing:

My friends are tellin' me

I lost my mind  
When I hooked up with you

Maybe that's true

They say that

I'll wake up one day  
Askin' what did I do  
Maybe that's true too

But when I'm with you

everything's all right  
All I know is how I feel  
When you're beside me

Waste my time, waste my time  
I'll be yours, and baby, you could be mine  
It's all about hangin' out  
'Cuz you know how to waste my time

There's nothin sweeter

Than an empty day  
With nowhere to be  
And you right there with me

We're laughin'

As the world goes by  
And we let it pass  
Movin' way too fast

'Cuz when I'm with you

I never care  
What they all want me to be  
I just want you beside me to…

Waste my time, waste my time  
I'll be yours, and baby, you can be mine  
It's all about hangin' out  
'Cuz you know how to waste my time

Let the day blow by  
Let the hours fly  
You remind me what is real  
When you're here beside me

As Jude's voice died down, I could only gape in amazement. For someone so young, she had an amazing voice, this incredible maturity, the kind that one could never dream to attain. You either had it, or you didn't. And Jude definitely had it.

"What? What's wrong with it?" Jude asked, ready to defend her efforts.

"Nothing, nothing at all." I said, knowing that was the first time I didn't have anything bad to say about her lyrics, tempo, or mood.

Jude smiled wolfishly as she pinched me. "Ow!" I exclaimed, shocked more than hurt. "What was that for?"

"I just wanted to see if you were really little Tommy Q, and not some incredibly similar clone of his." Jude smiled, testing me to see how far she could go before I snapped.

"You know, I really hate that nickname," I said, hoping to stop her from calling me that in the future.

"Come on, Tommy, you know you love it. Especially when I'm the one who's calling you that," Jude beamed, knowing if Tommy had any problems with it, she'd get Georgia to tell Tommy to let it go, otherwise, she'd just give Tommy the hardest time.

"I wouldn't say that, but you are the only one who would. Even Kwest knows not to go that far." I admitted.

While this was going on, Georgia and Kwest silently peeked into the studio to see whether Jude and Tommy were tearing each other into pieces. After they'd seen enough, they slowly closed the door.

Georgia (whispering): "I never thought I'd see the day when those two actually got along."

Kwest (whispering back): "And to think I'm the one who made it possible."

Kwest's POV: I wonder how me and Georgia are gonna get Jude and Tommy together. They can be so stubborn in their own ways. It's gonna take a miracle to get them together, but it'll be a lot more peaceful and quiet around here when it does. Now if we can come up with a plan…

Georgia: I wonder how I'm going to get Jude and Tommy together. They're always fighting, but I think they'd make the perfect couple. But it's not gonna be easy. They both have their ways of doing things, and if I know them, they're gonna fight it every step of the way. But if I have my way about it, it's gonna be a lot easier on all of us once they hook up. I should get E.J. in on this. She'd be upset if I didn't include her, especially since she loves matchmaking. And who's a better match for Tommy than Jude? I don't think there's anyone with the nerve to put up with him, or the nerve to put him in his place like Jude does. I can't wait to see how this turns out!

Georgia and Kwest left, and headed over to E.J.'s office to let her in on the news. Then the three schemed to get them together, and tried to come up with ways to subtly put Jude and Tommy together in several situations, but none so blatant as the one they had planned for Jude's release party.

AN: As always, please r & r if you so desire ;o). And if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. You'll never know if or when I'll use them.


	17. Chapter 16

AN: I know I haven't posted in a while, but it's because I haven't had much time to work on this chapter. But I wanted to post something, since I haven't posted in, like, forever, here it is.

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, Waste My Time, Kwest, Jude, Tommy, E.J., or Georgia. I love Tim Rozon! And Jude rocks! I can't wait until Instant Star comes back. I'm having serious Instant Star withdrawal :o(!

Chapter 16:

Over the past few weeks, I found myself stuck in situations where I'd have to listen to Jude's songs, and Georgia told me that I'd have to be nice and give what she called "constructive criticism", and not the kind where I could put my own spin on it and tell her what changes she needed to make. Needless to say, I was surprised that Jude could be so civil. At least, after I'd started being nicer to her and all. Maybe the girl does have a heart, I thought wryly. I laughed out loud, forgetting that Jude was in the studio with me.

"What's so funny?" Jude wanted to know.

"Nothing," I replied, a little too hastily. Jude looked at me and waited, curiosity getting the best of her. "OK, I was just thinking about how we've finally gotten to the point where we don't bite each other's heads off every time we have to work together."

"Yeah, me, too," Jude confessed. "It's like someone took over your body, but it's a kinder, gentler little Tommy Q. One who doesn't insult my songwriting abilities, one who actually thinks I have potential, and one who is patient when I don't come up with a hit song right away." She paused for a moment, and I braced myself for the retort that I'd come to expect from her.

Needless to say, I was surprised when she threw her arms around me and hugged me. I'd never expected that she'd do that, and I told her so. "What's that for?" I said, secretly happy that she wasn't mad at me anymore.

"For being nice," Jude replied, wondering why I'd asked such a simple question. "I thought you'd get all upset and tell me I'm wrong, but you didn't. I must be a good influence on you," she decided.

"No, I just think we've learned how to understand one another," I said, hoping that she wouldn't see my true motives. "Enough bonding. Get back to work!" I commanded, smiling so she wouldn't think I was the stubborn taskmaster once again. She mock-saluted me, smiling, and did as I said without complaining. As I sat back and watched her, I reflected on the times we'd had so far, and saw that we'd grown much closer than Kwest and her had ever been. I thought about all the girls I'd had relationships with, and I had to admit, none of them came close to the connection we'd shared over the past few months. And it wasn't just music, it went much deeper than that. It was something that I couldn't put my finger on, but it was definitely pulling us closer together than we ever imagined, and it was something that neither of us could battle and win.

Some time later, I took a break and went out to get some fresh air. I was lost in thought once again when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, expecting Kwest, but instead Jude stood in front of me.

"Hey, Tommy," Jude said uncertainly, shivering.

"Hey girl," I responded automatically. "It's cold outside. Do you want my jacket?" She wasn't wearing one.

"No, I just wanted to know what was going on back there. Why are you being so nice to me?" Jude wondered.

"It's like I said before, we're starting to understand each other." I tried to assure her, but she still didn't believe me.

"Georgia must have put you up to this. I mean, you've never gone this long without picking on me for no reason, so that must be it." Jude concluded.

"Actually, no, that's not the reason," I said, deciding to tell her. "I'm just sick of us fighting all the time. The time we spend arguing, we should be spending on working. Not that your songs need it or anything. They can't get much better than they are already."

"Thanks, Tommy," Jude said, blushing at my praise. She moved closer to me as it was starting to snow a lot heavier. "Would it be OK if I borrowed your jacket?"

"No problem," I said, slipping it off and putting it around her shoulders. I felt an inner heat spread through me as we stood close together, one that would keep me warm in the midst of the chilling cold. I decided to make my move slowly, otherwise she would get scared and run away, never to come back.

I saw Kwest coming towards us. "Hey, Tommy, I need you to fix the sound system in Studio A. I tried to fix it, but it still doesn't work right."

"OK," I said, reluctant to leave Jude out. Then an idea hit me. "Jude, do you want to help me? You're gonna need to know how to do this when you're on tour in case your roadie isn't there."

"OK," Jude chattered. "I'll do anything to get out of this cold." She slipped her hand in mine, and it felt so right. Kwest glanced at me as if to say, "What's going on with you guys?" I shook my head, not knowing how to answer him, and Jude tugged impatiently on my sleeve, wanting to go inside.

We walked inside, where Jude said, laughing, "Hey, maybe we can record 'Frozen'. Not for an album or anything, but just for fun."

"How'd you find out about that?" I was floored that she knew about my past single, but I didn't know anything about her life before she signed with us.

"Kwest told me." Jude replied, with a gleam in her eyes.

"I'm gonna kill Kwest for this," I thought, but said, "Why'd he tell you?"

"I asked him about your Boyz Attack days, and I wondered what songs you did. That's all. Kwest said you'd be mad at him about telling me about it. Are you?" Jude said, trying to read my expression.

"No, I just didn't know you'd be interested in that stuff," I admitted. "Why are you, anyway?"

"I wanted to see what made you the way you are now, and I figured the best way was to see how you were when you were younger." Jude answered.

"And what'd you find out?" I challenged, knowing that she still hadn't figured it out by the expression on her face.

"That fame and money did change you. Before, you were just like I was last year" Jude said.

"And because of it, I was who I was. And it wasn't just me, it's done that to every artist. It's our nature to feel like we're somebody when people throw money at us, chase us around snapping pictures all the time, and ask for our autographs. They forget that we're people just like them. The only difference is that our jobs are much more public than theirs are. Not because we make it so, but because they do." I informed her.

All Jude could do was gape and stare. "What?" I wondered.

"Nothing. I just didn't figure you to be so perceptive. Especially since you were in the midst of it all." Jude said, still dazed.

I decided to show Jude just how perceptive I could be when I wanted to. "Really? Well, sometimes the only way to be perceptive in a situation is to experience it yourself. Then you know what it's really like, and you'll know how to deal with it when the time comes."

At that moment, Georgia walked in. "Hi Tommy, Jude," she greeted us. Turning to me, she asked, "Did you finish rewiring Studio A's sound system yet?"

I grinned sheepishly. "No, Georgia. I'll get right on it. Jude?"

Jude glibly responded, "We're on it."

Georgia raised her eyebrows at me, and I filled her in. "I asked Jude to help, otherwise it's gonna take a while. I'd ask Kwest to help, but he'd probably just screw everything up even more."

Georgia nodded. "OK, just get it done. I'm gonna need to see Kwest about something." She walked away and left us alone.

Jude said something that I'll never forget. "Do you think Georgia and Kwest…" she trailed off, embarrassed to even be mentioning it.

"I really don't know. I mean, I always see them having secret meetings without me, and when they come out of Georgia's office, or the studio, I always see them smiling. So I wouldn't know what to make of it. I've known Kwest for a while, but Georgia? I don't know," I repeated, shaking my head, as if to clear that thought.

"Maybe we should try and set them up," Jude said, her eyes sparkling. "I feel kinda bad for dumping Kwest, but maybe if I can set him up with Georgia…"

"Yeah, then maybe he'd forgive me for hurting you all the time. Not that I do anymore," I reminded her. "Let's get to work," I said, and this time, Jude willingly agreed.

AN: Please read and review (even if it's flames). Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

The next few days passed without incident. Jude and I spent more time together than ever before. We got to the studio earlier than everyone else, and we left long after most of the G-Major staff had left. We spent countless hours working on Jude's songs until I didn't think they could get any better than they were, and when everyone else left for the day, we stayed late to talk about our plans for Kwest and Georgia. Most of the time, we didn't even pay attention to are environment, we were so wrapped up in our conversation and each other…

Jude (passing me some take-out): "So, how do we get Kwest and Georgia together?"

Me: "All it takes is a little push in the right direction. But we gotta be discreet otherwise Georgia'll have my head."

Jude (giggling): "And it's such a pretty one too." I playfully punched her in the shoulder, as she continued to look at me.

"What?" I asked, suddenly aware of the look she'd been giving me all night.

Jude came back to her senses, and said, "Nothing." She looked away for a moment, and when she looked back at me, I knew it was back to being producer and artist. I inwardly cringed as I knew I was reading too much into it.

"So, how do you think this sounds?" Jude said, trying to change the subject. She picked up her guitar and started strumming a series of chords.

I grabbed her hand to stop her from playing. "Jude, I…" I began, not knowing what would happen next.

Jude turned and looked at me, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Tommy, don't," Jude pleaded. "I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to be hurt again, especially not by you. How do I know that Sadie's completely out of the picture? Knowing her, she'll do anything to get you. And she's proven over and over again that no guy can resist her, not even you."

"And what about Kwest?" I said, my voice low. "Can you honestly say you don't have feelings for him? Is it because he listens to you and feels your pain, or is it because of me supposedly being interested in Sadie?"

"Yes…no…, I don't know," Jude sighed. "Why is it that when we're finally together, Sadie comes and destroys our relationship?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's for the same reason you go and hook up with Kwest every time you see Sadie and me together. Why do you always assume that I don't want to be with you?" I wondered.

"I don't know. Stop confusing me," Jude commanded. "And why do we always end up arguing? It's all your fault," she blamed me.

"How is it my fault?" I asked, incredulous.

"You're the mature one. You're the one who's supposed to be able to figure it out. After all, you're so much older than me, and you know how everything's supposed to be." Jude said, rather sarcastically.

"Not when I'm with you," I confessed. "Jude, I know producers have crossed that line, I know you're old enough, but I'm still worried how it'll look to the media, not to mention Georgia and E.J. And I don't even want to mention Kwest right now, because I don't know how you feel about him, or how he feels about you."

"Why didn't you just ask me?" Jude complained. "I would have told you the truth. I'm not like Sadie, I don't like making things seem what they're not."

"I know, it's just…things are complicated. I don't want to start anything until I'm sure you'd be OK with it."

"Tommy, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. It's just other people always want to take care of me and hurt me, and that's what I can't handle. I'm tired of giving guys my heart, only to have them hand it back to me in pieces. I'm tired of you always being so indecisive about us. First, you kiss me, then the next second, you act like nothing's happened. It can't be both ways, so which is it? And don't tell me you don't know. Either you do know, and you don't want to tell me, because that would get you in trouble, or you don't know, because you haven't decided yet. And if you haven't, I'm not going to wait around forever for you to make up your mind." Jude rambled, but what she said made a lot of sense. There was a lot at stake if we did get involved, but there was just as much at stake if we didn't get involved.

"Jude, I do want to be with you, but I'm not sure this is the right time. I mean, I could screw things up for you. I could be responsible for ruining your career even before it starts. And I don't want to do that. And what about your parents? Do you really think they'd let you be with me? And I know Sadie's not gonna stand for this. She'll do everything she can to mess it all up. We've got so many things going against us. I don't want to see you hurt. That's the last thing I'd ever want."

"You know what, Tommy? If you're so afraid of being with me because of what you might do or what other people will do to break us up, then I don't need you." Jude stood up, looking like she'd never give me a second chance. "You were the one who told me I should care more about what I think than what other people think, but I guess it's easier to tell someone to do something than to actually do it yourself."

All the feelings I had for Jude rose to the surface once again. I grabbed her before she could walk away and spun her around.

"You're absolutely right, Jude," I said, as I crashed my lips on hers.

She struggled for a moment, thinking I was going to hurt her again, and immediately broke off our kiss. She looked at me, her blue eyes piercing my own, as if she were searching my deepest thoughts. "What are you saying?" Jude asked, uncertain about how I'd respond.

"I'm saying screw Georgia, Kwest, and everyone else. Screw the media, Shay, Jamie, all of 'em. Jude, I'm sick of pretending like there's nothing between us. I'm sick of trying to be your friend and nothing more. I'm sick of us arguing about anything and everything coming between us. I'm sick of you getting back at me with Kwest, and I'm sick of Sadie always trying to break us up. I'm not gonna let that happen again, because hurting you is the last thing I'd ever want to do."

"Quit telling me that, Tommy, you're starting to sound like a broken record. You keep saying it, and then you hurt me, then you apologize for it, and you end up hurting me again. When will you stop?" Jude blurted out, before she could stop herself. I saw the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks again, and hated seeing her so upset over me.

I tried to pull her into a hug to comfort her, but Jude immediately pushed me away. "No, Tommy, don't think that you hugging me is gonna make my heartbreak go away, 'cuz it's not. Nothing can make this better, except for you finally deciding that you want to be with me for good, but you've made it perfectly clear that it can't happen. And if it can't happen now, it never will." Jude managed to say, with a hint of finality in her voice.

I looked at the ground, not knowing how to respond. "What if I told you that I wanted it to happen? That I want to be with you? That I don't care about what anyone else thinks? Not Kwest, Georgia, E.J., the media? Would you be prepared to deal with the consequences if we started dating?" I said, anticipating her response.

Jude let out a bitter laugh. "I'd say that it'd just be another act, one where you pretend to like me until something else goes wrong. Then you'd crawl back under your shell until the storm's passed, and it's safe to come out again."

I looked her in the eye. "And what if I didn't?"

"Then I'd think your actions would be genuine, and I'd have to take you at your word." Jude said. "So what's it gonna be? If we're not together, I don't think I can work with you, because I can't work like this, where one day we're cool, and the next, we're at each others' throats."

"Me either," I said, deciding to be open and honest with her. "Jude, I really like you. And not in just a producer/artist way. I can't promise that it'll be sunshine and roses all the time, especially since you're starting to become famous. I want to protect you from all that, because I've been there, I know how to deal with all the attention and being in the spotlight. But I don't want to be too overprotective because I know you can handle it. From what I've seen so far, you can handle anything that's come your way, and I know you'll be able to handle things like this in the future. Whatever you want to do, I'll go along with it."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then Jude raised her face to mine, and I saw that we both had tears in our eyes. I bent down and hugged her, and she instinctively hugged back. Then she broke away for a second, and I thought she was about to dump me. Again.

"Jude, I'm sorry if I hurt you in the past. And I can't promise that I won't in the future. What I can promise you is that there'll be a risk, but if you're willing to take it, then so am I." I paused, thinking that she would walk away and break my heart again, but instead she kissed me. Instinctively I wrapped my arms around her as she ran her hands through my hair. We broke off the kiss, only to smile at one another. Then I held her close, wanting to take away all the hurt I put her through, and knew that I'd always treasure this moment.


	19. THANK YOU!

AN: Sorry to disappoint you guys if you were expecting a new chapter, but I really wanted to let you guys know what I was thinking. Here it is (I'll be ranting for a while, so please bear with me).

(gasp) OMG, you guys are awesome! Never in a million years would I expect to get 50 reviews – imagine me wiping tears away and sniffling while jumping up and down excitedly :o)! – Just thought I'd let you know how much I appreciate your comments and reviews (although it may be a while before I put something else up). I have a mountain of homework that I need to get done by tomorrow, so I promise that I'll put up the next chapter by tomorrow night (you guys deserve it, especially since I won't have posted in two days). And if I don't, I'll let you post as many flames as you want, or say how horrible a writer I am, or whatever you can think of (my brain's pretty fried right now since I'm working on algebra homework. Too bad none of this makes any sense. Guess I'm just like Jude that way ;o)!).

Anyways, please excuse my rambling. I know you really could care less. What I meant to say was, "Thank you so much!" YOU GUYS TOTALLY ROCK! And I promise, I WILL have a new chapter up for you to read sometime tomorrow.


	20. Chapter 18

AN: (gasp) OMG, you guys are awesome! Never in a million years would I expect to get over 50 reviews – imagine me wiping tears away and sniffling while jumping up and down excitedly :o)! – Just thought I'd let you know how much I appreciate your comments and reviews. Really. Thanks so much! YOU GUYS TOTALLY ROCK!

I know I promised you guys a long chapter, but I felt that I'd be taking away from the next chapter (Chapter 19), which is still in the process of being written. So if it seems a little short to you, that's the reason. Anyways, I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Instant Star, Kwest, Jude, Tommy, E.J., or Georgia. I love Tim Rozon! And Jude rocks! I can't wait until Instant Star comes back. I'm having serious Instant Star withdrawal :o(! Until then, I'll have to hope that my Instant Star videotapes will be enough.

Chapter 18:

After what seemed like an eternity, Jude finally pulled away.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked, immediately concerned. I thought maybe she was having second thoughts about us.

"Nothing," Jude said, smiling at me as she took my hand in hers. "It's just…I keep thinking that this can't be real, that the next minute I'll wake up to find that it's only a dream. That you're still with Sadie, and that we'll never be together." She looked at me, and I could tell she still had doubts that a relationship like ours would last.

"This isn't a dream, and we are together," I insisted, pulling her into my arms and murmuring into her ear. I pulled away, only to assure her that Sadie was out of the picture, and if she tried anything with me, I'd be the one to turn the tables on her with Mrs. Harrison. "Jude, you know I'd never let anyone or anything hurt you. And I'd definitely never let anyone get away with it."

"What if I still get hurt? I mean, what if you're the one who hurts me? I keep thinking that I'm gonna get hurt one way or another, and who's gonna stop it from happening again?"

"We're all hurt one way or another, and that's just something we'll have to deal with when it happens. You hurt me when you were with Kwest," I reminded her.

Jude smiled, and responded, "Yeah, but that was to get you back. You deserved it for not telling me about Sadie blackmailing you."

I winced, and said, "Yeah, but it still hurt me. Sometimes the people we love the most, we tend to hurt the most, or they tend to hurt us the most. I can't remember which."

Jude grinned, and said, "It's not one or the other, Quincy, it's both. And I thought you're supposed to know more than me, being older and all."

I laughed, and shot back, "Yeah, well, when I spend more time with you, all my knowledge goes out the window. Except for songwriting and electronics, I'll never forget those." I paused, then smiled wider. "If I did, you and Kwest would be screwed."

I expected Jude to punch me lightly, but she instead looked thoughtful. "Speaking of Kwest, what are we gonna do about him and Georgia?"

"See how easily you distract me?" I said, as Jude wrapped her arms around me. "I was just getting around to that, and suddenly we're back to talking about our own dysfunctional relationship." I smiled as Jude shot me a look of pure loathing, and I added quickly, "Not that we have one anymore."

"Nice try, Tommy," Jude said, deliberately choosing to focus on someone other than herself. "But really, how should we get Kwest and Georgia together? Even if we were to lock them in a closet or room or something together, they'd still be oblivious to how perfect they are together. Anyways, And I wouldn't have access to the keys anyway." She paused, as realization struck. "But you do." She clutched my arm in excitement. "Tommy, you should so do that. They'd be a great couple. Come on, Tommy, please?"

I gazed into her blue eyes, drowning in their depths, and knew there was no way I could deny her request. But at the same time, I knew Kwest would get me back for it, not to mention Georgia'd probably fire me for interfering in her personal life, and Jude would get what she'd always wanted: an overbearing producer off her back. I smiled as I relished the thought of discovering Jude's ulterior motives.

"No way. Kwest's already mad enough at me for stealing you away from him," I said, steering the conversation away from Jude's plans. "I'm not gonna let your plans result in Kwest putting me in the hospital indefinitely. Not to mention Georgia'd have my head and serve it to Kwest. At least, unless Kwest hasn't served it to her first."

I knew I said the right thing, because Jude burst out laughing. "Hey!" I exclaimed. "It's not that funny!" I watched as Jude tried to regain composure, but failed as she clutched her stomach, laughing even harder. I scowled as I saw her wipe tears of elation from her eyes, and waited until she was done laughing at my expense.

"OK, what if we set them up on a blind date or something? You know, leave notes for them telling them to meet somewhere, and when they show up, Georgia'll think that Kwest left her the note, and vice versa." Jude beamed as she imagined how it would turn out.

"Perfect. Except for one minor detail." I said, hating to burst Jude's bubble.

"What's that?" Jude was curious.

"They'll talk, know it was us, and the result will be what we've already mentioned. I can see the headlines now: Tommy Q Gets Blown Up by Best Friend and Boss." I scowled as Jude burst out in a fit of laughter once more, and as I watched her, I found myself laughing as well. "Got any other ideas?"

"No, I kinda like that one. Especially knowing what might happen to you when they find out it was us. They'll excuse me, because I'm so easily influenced by you, and I always end up doing pretty much anything you ask, and they'll pin all the blame on you, since you know them way better than I do, and you're in charge." Jude simply grinned as I told her to shut it, and she challenged, "Make me." I did, and rather happily, I might add, as I bent down and met her lips with mine.

Meanwhile, Kwest, Georgia, and E.J. were talking in Georgia's office, discussing the same thing as Jude and I were.

E.J. (looking grumpy): "So it's true? You and Georgia are trying to fix Tommy and Jude up? I can't believe you didn't tell me earlier! I live for stuff like this!" Her eyes flashed angrily and she stood up, about to leave them the same way they left her. Kwest grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"E.J., we need your help," Kwest said, knowing E.J. lived to fix people up. Georgia smiled as E.J. sat back down, instantly forgetting that she'd been left out.

"What do you need?" E.J. asked, looking from Kwest to Georgia, and back again. She could barely contain her excitement, judging from her expression.

"Remember how Georgia locked them in Studio C? And I got them to kiss under the mistletoe at the Christmas party? Now that Christmas is over, we've got to come up with another plan to get them together. Any ideas?" Kwest looked baffled.

"Of course, I've done this so many times, I've lost count." E.J. boasted, then rattled off, "What about telling them to work on a certain day, preferably a busy one, and give everyone else a day off? Of course, you, me and Kwest can come and see what's going on, but we can just catch it on camera and watch it later." E.J. said, taking a breath before continuing. "Then there's the classic 'Meet me at such and such a restaurant, then go there and get a seat close enough to watch the show, but far enough away so that they won't notice you. It's good also if it's not too empty, but not so busy that you can't overhear their conversation. And then…"

Georgia cut E.J. off before she could say anymore. "Kwest, are you getting all this?"

Kwest grumbled, "Why do I have to be the one writing it all down?"

E.J. answered, "Because you're the sound engineer and Georgia's the boss." Georgia laughed as Kwest asked Georgia for a pen and paper. Georgia fished around in her desk, then laughed as she held them just out of Kwest's reach. Once she tired of it, she let Kwest have them, as E.J. started spouting off more ideas as Kwest struggled to keep up with E.J.'s motormouth. The two women loved teasing Kwest, but made sure that Kwest knew that it was all in fun.

After they created a very long (and creative) list of ideas, they went over them again, leaving the good ones and crossing others out that took too much time to set up, or were too predictable. Then they got to work putting their plans in action.

AN: As always, please r & r if you so desire ;o). And if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. You'll never know if or when I'll use them.


	21. Chapter 19

AN: OK, there's going to be Kwest/Georgia and Jude/Tommy action going on. As always, let me know what you think.

Chapter 19:

Over the next few days, Jude and I had arranged it so that she would spend more time talking with Georgia. I, as usual, assumed my regular position next to Kwest in the sound booth. One day, as Kwest and I were mixing tracks, E.J. breezed in, all upset.

"I can't believe it!" E.J. exclaimed.

Kwest looked up. "Believe what?"

"Georgia," E.J. spat out. "I meet with her every day at a certain time, and when it gets delayed, or cancelled altogether like in this case, I get cranky. And when I get cranky, people get hurt." She glared down at us like we were her next victims.

"Hey, don't look at us," I said, raising my hands as if to surrender. "We just wanted to know what's going on. So, what's got Georgia so preoccupied?" I pretended like I didn't know, and Kwest looked just as confused as I hoped I did.

"She's in there right now with Jude, and I don't get it. Jude's supposed to be working on her songs, and you're supposed to be working on recording them with her, but she's spent most of this past week with Georgia over who knows what. And every time I ask Georgia what's going on with her and Jude, she always dodges my questions and says that it's strictly confidential." Taking a breath, E.J. continued. "Georgia's always been straight with me, so whatever's going on, it's gotta be big. Did Jude mention anything to you guys?"

I answered quickly, "Nope. She hasn't said anything to me."

Kwest nodded in agreement. "Me either."

Knowing she couldn't get any information out of us, E.J. huffed and breezed out the door again.

"OK, Tommy, what's really going on?" Kwest coaxed.

"Kwest man, if I knew, do you really think I'd keep it from you this long?" I feigned exasperation to prevent him from guessing the truth.

"OK, so you're just as clueless as I am about this whole thing." Kwest said, buying every word of it. Man, I can be really convincing when I want to be. Even Kwest, my best friend, couldn't tell that I was faking it. "Any guesses?"

"It's probably something important," I suggested. "Jude only goes to E.J. when she wants to gossip or get beauty tips. Maybe it's about her upcoming tour."

"You going?" Kwest kidded, knowing the answer was obvious.

"Dude, she's going on a 3 month tour. Do you think I can be away from her that long?" I asked sarcastically.

"OK, I got it," Kwest said. "Do you want me to come with you guys?"

"Normally, I'd say yes, but it's gonna be kinda crowded with Jude, me, E.J., and her band." I said, hoping he'd agree with me and stay here with Georgia.

"So what? Are you guys going to share a bed?" Kwest laughed as I smacked him on the side of his head.

"Yeah, like I'd do that and have it plastered on the next day's morning news." I rolled my eyes.

"Not that you don't imagine it happening." Kwest laughed as he got out of my reach before I could smack him again.

"Dude, shut it," I'd had enough of him picking on me and Jude. I guess my relationship with Jude was still new enough where I was overprotective of her, and would gladly punch the hell out of anyone who had the nerve to pick on us.

The look I shot Kwest was enough to keep him quiet, and we spent the rest of the day mixing beats for Jude's songs.

Meanwhile, Jude was in Georgia's office.

"So kiddo, what'd you want to talk to me about?"

Jude decided not to be straight with Georgia. She knew Georgia was not a force to be reckoned with, so she decided to keep the subject of Georgia and Kwest on the back burner.

"It's about my upcoming tour. I know we don't have much space, but could Tommy come?"

Georgia thought for a moment.

Georgia's POV: If I make Tommy stay here, I'll hear how much he misses Jude 24 hours a day for the next two months. If I let Tommy go, I'll have Jude's parents breathing down my neck for letting their 18 year old daughter go on tour with her 25 year old producer. But if I know Stuart well enough, I think he'd be able to persuade Victoria to let her go. After all, he always wanted the life Jude has the opportunity to have. I think I'll let Tommy go on tour with Jude, but I should tell him to keep it strictly business. We can't afford to get bad press showing how crazy they can get. Two virtually unsupervised adults, one of them being legal only this year…It's gonna be nearly impossible to keep tabs on them. I'll give that responsibility to E.J. I know how much she loves to get involved in Jude's love life. But before I tell Jude the good news, I think I'll play with Jude a bit first. I love seeing how she reacts when she doesn't get her way.

"Jude, what do you want me to tell your parents? That you're going on tour with your producer, who you're involved with, with little supervision? You know they'll complain to me about it, and when you get back, they'll give you a lecture about how irresponsible you were, about the bad choice you made asking Tommy to come with you, and that any number of things could have happened with you two being that close for that long." Georgia warned.

"Georgia, I'll handle my parents, OK? And if they object, I'll remind them that I am 18, so I can make my own decisions. If I'm old enough to go on tour by myself, I'm also old enough to deal with the consequences, not that there will be any." Jude assured her.

"OK, but if you need any backup, I'll be glad to say something in your favor, OK?" Georgia smiled.

"OK," Jude smiled, knowing she had Georgia on her side. "What about Kwest?"

Georgia raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"Did you tell him to come on tour with me, or will he be staying here?" Jude was curious as to how Georgia would respond.

"Don't worry. I'll have plenty of things for him to do here. Not that he wouldn't be busy if he were on tour with you." Georgia responded.

"That's great!" Jude exclaimed. She was busily trying to figure out how she and Tommy could set Georgia and Kwest up while they were gone.

At Georgia's glance, Jude fell quickly silent. She was slightly disappointed that Georgia wasn't taking the bait.

Jude's POV: Why does Tommy always get the easy one? And why does he always stick me with doing the impossible? He could have at least warned me that Georgia's as hard a rock: when I try to get her to do something, I get nowhere.

Georgia's POV: Why did Jude bring up Kwest? I think something's going on here, but I don't know what. Maybe if I ask Tommy, he'll know something about it. I'm sure that if he knew, he'd tell me if I asked him.

"Um, so yeah, I gotta go see Tommy again. He said he wanted to work on a song with me," Jude replied lamely.

Georgia winked at her and smirked, "Yeah, right. More like make out. Just try to keep it a little professional, OK?"

Jude smiled. "OK, Georgia." She stood up and walked out.

A little later, Jude and I were putting the finishing touches on our scheme to get Kwest and Georgia together.

"So Tommy, did you make the calls?" Jude said, wrapping her arms around me.

"Yeah, I got them all lined up." I said, touching my forehead to hers. I leaned back and said, "What about the notes?"

"I got them all set. And the candy too." Jude smiled as I leaned in for a long, passionate kiss.

"I can't wait for my tour to start. You and me, all alone…" Jude said, ecstatic. She squealed as I picked her up and spun her around, then set her back down.

"Sounds like the start of another hit song by Jude Harrison," I teased. I held up and imaginary microphone and started singing, "I know what I feel, and you feel it too…"

"I dream of my first kiss and who'll make the first move…" Jude sang back, as she tilted my head down and captured my mouth with hers. I broke off the kiss, then added,

"Wait, we gotta write this all down before we forget it," I said, laughing as Jude playfully punched me. "What?"

"You really know how to ruin a good moment, Quincy," Jude said, struggling to stay mad at me.

"Oh, you think that was a good moment? I'll show you a real good moment." I said as I kissed her again. She threw her arms around me and deepened the kiss. I kissed her as if my life depended on it, because it did. I don't know how long I could have stayed without her, and I don't want to think about it. All I know is how much I love this girl, and how much I want to be with her. No matter what she goes through, I don't want to be the one to screw things up, and I want her to be as happy as I am, with her, right now.


	22. Chapter 20

AN: I know this chapter's kinda short, but trust me, it works better this way. I'm so amazed by all your feedback. I can't believe how many of you love this fanfic, I'm still stunned. Anyways, I brought evil Sadie back in to stir things up a bit. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Sadie, Kwest, Instant Star, or anything related to the show. But I do own my own stupid ideas and the plot. I hope it's not too boring or lame for you guys, so I'll stop rambling now so you can read the next chapter.

Chapter 20:

Jude and I were so busy making out that we didn't hear anyone come in. Suddenly, I saw this flash of light, and we broke off the kiss to see who it was.

Jude: "I can't believe you did that!" She glared at Sadie, who was wearing a tight, blue shirt and an extremely short white skirt that showed off her long legs.

Sadie noticed me checking her out, and smiled smugly, knowing she'd gotten my attention. "Now Tommy won't be able to go on tour with you, at least not after I show this picture to Mom and Dad. I know Mom wants you guys together, but after I let it slip that it could go a lot further, especially since they won't be around to stop you guys…"

Jude couldn't believe the nerve she had. "Sadie, why is it every time I'm happy you have to go and ruin things for me?" Sadie just smiled and managed to keep Jude from grabbing the camera.

I was so pissed. "Jude, would you excuse us please?"

"No, anything Sadie wants to say to you, she can say to me too." Jude stood her ground. I love that about her, but right now was not the time.

"Please?" I coaxed. I gave her one of my irresistible looks.

"OK," Jude muttered, and smiled as I gave her a reassuring look that everything would be fine.

As soon as Jude left, I turned my attention back to Sadie, who gave me an innocent look as if she had no idea what she was in for.

"Sadie, what is it with you? Why can't you stand seeing your sister happy for once in her life? Do you actually enjoy making her miserable? You're sisters, so why don't you be the big sister for once and protect her instead of ruining her life?" I exploded.

Sadie looked me in the eye, and coolly responded, "Yeah, and let Jude get away with it again? I won't let that happen. Jude has what I want, and I always get what I want. Not even Tommy Q can do anything about it."

"Yeah? We'll just see about that." I clenched my fists, daring her to try and seduce me. I loved Jude, and I'd never let Sadie come between us.

Sadie continued to smile, and said, "Come on Tommy, you know you want me, you just haven't realized it yet."

"See, that's where you're wrong," I insisted. "I love Jude, and nothing you do will ever make me screw up what I have with her."

"Just keep telling yourself that, Tommy. But we both know you'll never believe it." Sadie grinned again, and walked away, swaying her hips slightly. She glanced back and smiled as she caught me watching her.

I walked outside in search of Jude. I found her in the studio where she always went to write, and Kwest was helping her with the lyrics. I went to take over, but Kwest pulled me aside.

"Hey Tommy, what's going on?" Kwest wondered what was up.

"Sadie," I answered. Kwest nodded in understanding.

"What'd she do this time?" Kwest asked.

"She got a picture of me and Jude kissing, and she threatened to expose us to Jude's parents so that they'd complain to Georgia, and Georgia would tell me I wouldn't be able to go on tour with her." I realized what I needed to do.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Kwest caught on to my thoughts, and trailed off. I love how Kwest can read me so well, especially in times like this where I don't even have to say what I'm thinking, and he already knows. Jude's like that too. Maybe that's why I love her so much. I glanced at Jude, who noticed I was there and gave me a huge smile. I smiled back, hoping she knew how I felt about her right then. The look in her eyes told me she knew what I felt.

"I gotta go man. There's something I need to do, and fast." I rushed off as I spoke, and left Kwest all alone.

AN: What's Tommy up to? Find out, just as soon as you read and review! Thanks, everyone for all your feedback! And please, please, please, keep it coming! Thank you!


	23. Chapter 21

AN: I admit, I'm completely stunned and amazed by all your feedback. I can't believe how many of you love this fanfic. There will be a few twists in this chapter, and I really hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Sadie, Kwest, Mrs. Harrison, Instant Star, or anything related to the show. Not that I wouldn't love to own Tim Rozon. I'm so glad he's single now. I mean, I know I'm supposed to be sad and all for him because he broke up with his fiancée, but I just have to say, "YAY!" OK, I'll stop rambling now so you can read the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 21:

I got to the Harrison house in record time (man, I love my Viper!), and parked on their driveway. I ran up the steps, and was about to knock when Mrs. Harrison opened the door.

"Tommy, what a surprise!" Mrs. Harrison exclaimed. "I didn't expect to see you here, since Jude's at the studio and I thought you'd be working on her songs."

"Yeah, there's something I need to talk to you about," I ran my hand through my hair anxiously. "Is it OK if I come in?"

"Oh, of course," Mrs. Harrison looked flustered and slightly embarrassed that she hadn't invited me in yet. "What is it?"

I looked seriously at her. "It's about Jude and me."

"What? Is something wrong? Did you two have a fight?" Mrs. Harrison looked concerned.

"No, it's not that. Sadie snapped a picture of us kissing, and she told us that if she showed you and Mr. Harrison, you wouldn't agree to me going on tour with her." I told her the truth, so that she'd get the full extent of the situation. "I mean, normally producers don't go on tour with their artists, but Jude insisted that she's inspired only when I'm around."

"Right, her tour that's coming up soon. Tom, I don't know if I should let you go on tour with her. I know she's old enough, and you've been working together for a long time now, but I really don't know about this. No supervision, on a crowded tour bus, it's a lot to ask…" Mrs. Harrison began.

"I know, and I promise that we wouldn't do anything that either you or Mr. Harrison wouldn't approve of. Besides, E.J. will be there…" I gazed into her eyes, willing her to agree.

"I can't promise you anything, but I need to talk to Stuart about this first. We'll talk later OK?" Mrs. Harrison smiled at me.

"OK," I agreed, knowing not to push it any further. Just then, Sadie waltzed in, completely oblivious.

"Sadie, honey? We need to talk," Mrs. Harrison called.

Sadie popped her head in. "Hi Mom…Tommy, what are you doing here?" I was happy to see a look of worry flash across her face.

"Oh, I just wanted to stop by and say hi. I'd better be getting back to the studio before Jude kills herself driving all over to find me." I ducked out before Sadie could object. Although I would have loved to see Sadie get it, I didn't want to stick around to get it from her either.

I drove back to G Major, where Jude and Kwest were still hard at work. At the sound of my footsteps, Jude looked up. I was happy to see she had written down a lot of lyrics already, and was busy trying out chords to get the right sound.

"Hey girl," I smiled, as Jude jumped up, ran over, and planted a huge kiss on me. I hugged her in response.

"Mind if I take a look at what you've written?" I asked Jude.

She gazed up at me adoringly. "Sure."

I looked down at the notes she'd written. The ones I was looking at were lyrics to the start of a song called Time to be Your 21. I scanned them briefly, then looked over at Jude.

"So, what do you think?" Jude held her breath, hoping I'd approve.

"This, this is good Jude. No, it's better than that, it'll be your next hit." I promised her. We continued to smile at one another, losing ourselves in each other's gaze.

Then Kwest suddenly coughed, looking upset.

"Dude, hello? We're trying to work here. Jude's been working nonstop since you left, and the moment you walk back in, she doesn't hesitate to drop everything and plant one on you." Kwest muttered. I could swear he looked envious.

"Yeah, man, aren't I the luckiest person on earth?" I leaned over and kissed Jude again.

Then Jude replied, "No, Tommy, I am."

Kwest rolled his eyes, and said, "You guys make me sick. Can't you go on for five seconds without making out?"

"Nope, it's called being in love," I squeezed Jude's hand affectionately, and she smiled, happy that I wasn't afraid to admit my feelings for her. "If you were, you wouldn't be so grouchy, would you?"

Jude nudged me in the ribs, and added, "Hey, Kwest, we've got the perfect person for you. You guys would be so great together."

I turned to Jude and whispered, "Babe, that was supposed to be a secret."

Kwest looked at Jude, then me, and said, "What's going on? What are you guys talking about? Who do you want to set me up with? If she looks anything like Eden or Sadie, I'm out."

"No, she definitely doesn't look like either of them. And she's definitely your type," Jude confided, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

Kwest was about to answer when my cell phone went off. I picked it up without looking at the caller ID, and said, "Yeah?"

"Hey Tommy," Sadie responded. "Can we talk?"

"With you? No way. Not after what you just did."

"Tommy, I'm sorry, OK? For real this time. I know I've hurt you and Jude in the past, it's just that Jude always ends up getting what I want. So can we talk sometime? Today, maybe?" Sadie sounded remorseful.

"Fine, whatever, I really don't care." I'd had it up to here with that girl, and was about to give her a lecture on meddling in other peoples' lives that she'd never forget.

"OK," Sadie sniffled. It sounded like she'd been crying. "Can we talk in a few minutes?"

"Sure," I answered, doubting that she was being honest with me, or herself. I hung up and went back to the studio Jude was working in.

"Who was that?" Jude wondered.

"It was your evil sister Sadie. She says she wants to apologize. 'For real, this time,' she says. Like I'd believe her for a second. But whatever she's up to, she's on her way over here, so we gotta be prepared for the worst."

Jude took my hand, and squeezed it gently. "We will be. I won't let her come between us."

"Me either," I said, gazing directly into her deep blue eyes.

We went back to working on chords for Jude's lyrics, and a half hour later, Sadie came by. As I suspected, her eyes were red and puffy, and she was still sniffling. Of course, I'd pulled the same trick before. Raw onions get the same result.

"Tommy, can we go somewhere to talk? Privately?" Sadie pleaded, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

I looked at Jude, and she shrugged as if to say, 'I trust you'. She resumed working, and I got up and followed Sadie out the door.

We went over to Studio C, where I remembered to prop the door open with a chair.

"Sadie, what was it---" I began as Sadie grabbed me and kissed me. I pushed her off and glared angrily at her.

"What are you doing?" I backed away, trying to anticipate her next move.

"What's it look like I'm doing? You know we're perfect together, you just can't admit it to yourself." Sadie appeared smug.

"That's what you think," was all I could manage to get out, before walking away. I heard Sadie follow me back to where Jude was, and I said, "Jude, there's something I need to tell you."

Sadie looked triumphant, and added, "Yeah, he wants to tell you how he just kissed me in Studio C. And it wasn't just a peck on the lips, it was a major one."

"What?" Jude was shocked. "How could you do this to me? Again?" She started walking away, as tears began falling down her cheeks. I tried to stop her, but she just pushed me away and ran out.

I was about to run out the door after her, when Sadie stopped me. "Don't bother," I spat out angrily, and ran off to find Jude.

AN: How will Tommy explain? And how will Jude respond? Find out, just as soon as you read and review! Thanks, everyone for all your feedback! And please, please, please, keep it coming! Thank you!


	24. Chapter 22

AN: I admit, I'm completely stunned and amazed by all your feedback. I can't believe how many of you love this fanfic. There will be a major twist in this chapter, and all I can say for now is that I hope you don't hate me! This will also be a really short chapter, so I hope you weren't too disappointed after waiting a couple days, only to find that I posted a mini-chapter, and won't be posting anything remotely close to a "real" chapter until the server stops booting me off.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Instant Star, or anything related to the show. Not that I wouldn't love to own Tim Rozon. I'm so glad he's single now. I mean, I know I'm supposed to be sad and all for him because he broke up with his fiancée, but I just have to say, "YAY!" I also don't own what happens in this chapter, as it's shown up several times and in several forms in other fanfics. OK, I'll stop rambling now. Enjoy!

Chapter 22:

I found Jude in the G Major's parking lot. She had been standing there, trying to compose herself, as tears continued to stream down her face. As soon as she saw me, she took off. I was prepared for this, and grabbed her as soon as I caught up to her.

"Tommy, let me go!" Jude struggled against me.

"Not until you listen to what I have to say," I grunted, as I fought to keep hold.

She relaxed for a moment, but I wasn't about to take any chances. Then I winced as her fist connected with my stomach.

I watched in horror as I saw her run away. I stood stock still as I saw the situation unfold before me. Then, before I could think, I began moving at lightning speed as I saw the flash of red and heard the roar of an engine behind her.

"Jude, look out!" I yelled, as I grabbed her and pushed her out of the way. I heard a sickening thud as the car hit me. I was propelled a few feet forward. A few seconds later, my head hit the pavement hard, and I immediately blacked out.

AN: Is this the end of Tommy? Will Jude live to regret her decision? Please review to find out! Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated.


	25. Chapter 23

AN: I admit, I'm completely stunned and amazed by all your feedback. I can't believe how many of you love this fanfic. I really didn't know where to take it after this chapter, but I hope you like what I've come up with.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Instant Star, or anything related to the show. Not that I wouldn't love to own Tim Rozon. I'm so glad he's single now. I mean, I know I'm supposed to be sad and all for him because he broke up with his fiancée, but I just have to say, "YAY!" I also don't own what happens in this chapter, as it's shown up several times and in several forms in other fanfics. OK, I'll stop rambling now. Enjoy!

Chapter 23:

I awoke, and grimaced as pain shot through every part of my body. What just happened to me? Where was I? I looked around, and all I saw was white. Was I dead? I heard indistinct voices, but had no idea where they were coming from. I listened closely, and heard pieces of conversation.

Person's voice (sobbing): Kwest, will he ever wake up?

Kwest (answering): Shh, it'll be alright. The doctors said he was in a coma, but because of his age and health, he'll be fine. You'll see.

Person's voice (wavering): "But what if he isn't? This is all my fault. If we hadn't argued, and I hadn't run out into the street, this never would have happened. He wouldn't be in critical condition, and he could die. All because of Sadie."

Kwest (soothingly): "You know it's got nothing to do with Sadie or you and Tommy's argument. Things happen, and though we don't know why, we just have to deal with them as they come. If I know Tommy, he'll come back to us, and he'll be just like he was before. You'll see."

Doctor's voice (fading slightly): "Kwest, Jude, you can come in now. Tommy's awake."

The doctor came back in, followed by Kwest and Jude. Both were shocked to see me conscious, and Jude looked extremely pale. Kwest just looked stunned.

Kwest (recovering first): "Hey Tommy, welcome back."

I looked at him blankly. "Kwest, man, what happened?" My voice came out all scratchy and hoarse.

"You were hit by a car. The cops said she was drunk, and she lost control." Kwest paused, looking at Jude as he spoke. Jude was looking down at the ground, unable to speak.

"Jude, what is it? What's wrong?" I looked at her closely to see what she was thinking, but Jude ran out of the room, tears falling down her face.

"Kwest, what's with Jude?" I was confused.

"Man, you don't remember?" Kwest was shocked.

"Remember what?" I asked, curious.

"You saved Jude from being hit. The car was coming right at her, and you pushed her out of the way just in time." Kwest explained, waiting for my reaction.

"Oh," was all I could say. Then I said, "This must be really upsetting for her, then, since she could have been the one in here instead of me."

Kwest shook his head in response. "No, man, you don't get it. Jude blames herself for you getting injured. She thinks it's all her fault, that because of her, you're injured, and not just physically."

"What do you mean by that?" I was puzzled.

Kwest smiled grimly, "The doctors said you'd have mild memory loss." Noting my confused expression, he added, "You and Jude had an argument right before you saved her. It was about Sadie, like it always is. Jude's always loved you, and when she thought you were with Sadie, she bolted. Right out into the parking lot, and as always, you went after her to explain. When you saw the car coming, you threw yourself right into its path, and you pushed her out of the way so she wouldn't get hurt."

"Kwest, man, you know I'd do anything for her. Do you think I could talk to her now?" I asked, hoping she was up for talking.

"I don't know, man. She seemed pretty upset ever since then, and she hasn't said a word to anyone, but I'll go and see." Kwest got up and left me to process everything he just told me.

A few minutes later, Jude walked in, alone. She looked scared, almost as if talking to me would hurt me even more. I decided to ease her discomfort.

"Hey girl," I said, patting the place right next to me. Jude took a hint and sat down close to me. "Don't look so sad." I teased. "You can't get rid of me that easily." I laughed a little, hoping to break the tension.

Jude broke down. I hated seeing her like this, but every movement I made hurt like hell. "Babe, it's OK, it's not your fault," I assured her.

Jude shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, as if the sight of me lying in a hospital bed covered in bandages would eventually go away. "Yes, it is, Tommy. It's all my fault," she cried. She threw her arms around me and held me tight. I ignored the pain, and hugged her back. "Jude, it'll be OK. Don't blame yourself for something you had no control over." Jude just cried even harder, and I couldn't take it anymore. "Jude, please, don't cry, OK? You know I can't bear the sight of you crying." I was beginning to get a little bleary-eyed myself now.

Jude noticed this, and pulled back hesitantly. She sniffled, and said, "Tommy, I'm so sorry for arguing with you. If I'd believed you in the first place, you wouldn't have come after me, and you wouldn't have gotten hit."

I gazed deeply into her clear blue eyes, and admitted truthfully, "It's not important now. Coming this close to death has given me a new perspective on things. Forget about everything that's happened to us so far. Let's just focus on the present. You and me. Here. Alone. With no Kwest to bug us." I smiled at her, and reached for her hand. Jude slowly smiled back, but I could tell she was still worried about what was going to happen.

Kwest came back in, and noticed what had happened right away. "It's a good thing I got back so quickly. Leaving you two alone in a room with a bed? You never know what'll happen next." Kwest laughed and ducked as Jude tried to grab him.

The three of us spent the next few hours talking and laughing, until the doctor came back in. "Sorry, but visiting hours are over. You can come back in the morning if you'd like." Kwest and Jude mumbled under their breaths, but rose to leave, promising they'd be back first thing tomorrow morning. I was finally left alone to my own thoughts, as the lights went off in my room.

Meanwhile, Sadie was on the phone at the Harrison house. She was talking to a friend about the latest fashions when she got an unexpected call.

"Mom, someone's on the phone. And they want to talk to you." Sadie waited until her mom picked up, then she hung up, too preoccupied with her own life to wonder what the call was about. A few minutes later, her mom came in.

"Sadie, if you want to call your friend back, the phone's all yours. Just try and keep it short, OK?" Mrs. Harrison smiled.

"OK, thanks, Mom." Sadie smiled, happy that her mom didn't know what was going on.

When her mom left her alone, Sadie picked up the phone once again. She dialed a few numbers, then waited until the person on the other end picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Sadie replied. "Did you do it?"

"Yeah, I did. Poor Tommy, he'll never know who hit him," the other person replied, with no remorse whatsoever.

"And poor Jude. She'll be distracted for awhile, since someone tried to run her over, and her upcoming album will be toast. So we'll both get what we've always wanted." Sadie grinnedas she hung up.

AN: What's next for Jude and Tommy? I honestly don't know yet, but if you can give me some of your ideas, then the faster you'll find out. Thanks for all the reviews! You guys ROCK!


	26. Chapter 24

AN: After reading all your feedback, maybe I did make Sadie a little too malicious. She almost kills her sister, if it weren't for her crush saving her little sister's life, and she has no regrets? So I'll try and make Sadie a little more caring from now on, since she has her mean limit (which I think I just passed last time). I can't believe all the feedback you guys have been giving me. Thank you! I wouldn't have written this much if it weren't for you! So props to everyone for reading and reviewing. I couldn't have done this without you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Simon, Instant Star, or anything related to the show. Not that I wouldn't love to own Tim Rozon. But I do own the plot in this chapter, as it's entirely my idea. Enjoy!

Chapter 24:

It had been a few days since my accident in the hospital, and Jude had pleaded with Georgia to cut her tour short (only one month). In return, she would go on a few more smaller tours, each one month, with gaps in between so she could check on how I was doing. As usual, Georgia left it up to Jude's discretion, and Jude was elated. One day, she came bursting through the door with all of her Jude-like excitement.

"Tommy, guess what?" Jude could barely contain herself. She threw her arms around me and squealed in delight.

"Ow, Jude," I responded, rubbing my shoulder.

Jude pulled back immediately, concerned that I was still in major pain. "Sorry, Tommy. Are you OK?" She looked extremely concerned.

At her expression, the pain disappeared as quickly as it had come. "Yeah, I'm fine," I assured her. "What was it you were dying to tell me?"

"Georgia said I could cut my tour short," Jude said breathlessly. "The only catch is that I have to go on a few smaller tours (one month each). Then I'll get to see you in between. So what should I do? Should I go on the big tour, and miss you like crazy, or go on several small tours, and miss you a lot less but be gone more often?" She looked at me questioningly, willing me to give her an answer right then and there.

"Jude, you know me. I don't want to get in the way of your career. Not that I wouldn't mind it, but as it's your first major one, it's up to you." I said, secretly hoping that she'd do the smaller ones so that she wouldn't be away for long before I could see her again. If I knew Jude, which I did, I knew she'd go for the several smaller ones.

"Come on, Tommy. You know I can't stay away from you that long," Jude joked, even though she meant every word she said. "I guess I'll do the several mini-tour one then." Pausing, she said, "I asked Georgia if you could come with me, since you seem to be doing a lot better. And I know it's not because of the hospital treatments. But Georgia refused, saying you were in no condition to travel." She pouted, trying to get me to disagree with Georgia's decision.

"Jude, you know Georgia's right," I began, secretly pleased as Jude frowned. "Besides, I'd just be a distraction for you. You'd have to worry more about my condition than on your live performances. And we both don't want that to happen, especially since Sadie wants that to happen."

"But what about Sadie? If I leave you alone here, we both know she'll try something as soon as I'm gone." Jude worried.

"What about that coppertone she devil? She means nothing to me, but I'll only be nice to her since she's your sister. And if she tries anything else, I'll call the cops and get a restraining order so she won't be able to come near me or you, ever again. Will that make you feel better?" She smiled as she nodded, then I smiled back.

"But my mom won't like that, since she's always going on about how we're sisters, and even with all our differences, sisters have to get along, even if they're evil sisters who constantly plan on ruining your life." Jude continued, not liking the fact one bit.

"So, we both know how boy-crazy Sadie is. What if we set her up with someone?" I suggested.

"I wouldn't let Sadie near any guys I know. Not Kwest, and especially not you," Jude said, wrapping her arms around me protectively.

"OK, is there anyone who might distract her? Someone who you're not as close to? Someone you'd risk getting to date your sister so that she can leave us alone?" I watched as Jude frowned in thought, then brightened.

"Yeah, I've got it," Jude grinned mischievously.

"Who do you have in mind?" I asked curiously.

"Simon," Jude announced. At my confused expression, she continued, "He's my photographer. He saw a picture of Sadie once, and he told me he thought she looked great. That it was no wonder I'd won the cover of Solid magazine, since looks ran in the family."

"And what's he like? Is he as evil as Sadie is, or is he more like me?"

"He's neither. He's more like Kwest. Slightly reserved, but very polite. He wouldn't say anything mean about anyone." Jude said, making her final decision. "So the question is, how do we get them together?"

"You work on Simon, I'll take care of that evil witch," I grumbled as Jude laughed. "I'll ask Sadie to meet me at that Italian place, and you ask Simon to meet your sister there. I just wish I could be there to see her expression when she finds out she's been set up."

"Don't worry, I'll get it on tape," Jude offered. "She'll come home and rant until she's blue in the face, then have her little tantrums like she always does when she knows she can't win. Then Mom will go and try and comfort her, and she'll scream at Mom to leave her alone, and then she'll call up one of her friends, who'll suggest that she go out with some hot guy who'll eventually become another one of her victims, and the cycle repeats."

I laughed at Jude's vivid description of Sadie's breakups, and said, "Do you have it written down word for word, where the only thing that needs changing each time is the guy's name?"

"Yup," Jude broke in, "Mom's been having a tough time coming up with different ways to make her feel better, but Sadie's been getting so temperamental that nothing seems to work anymore."

"I just hope that Simon's as relentless as she is," I wondered.

"From the way he looks at her picture, he will be," Jude assured me. "Let's go get Sexy Sadie off our backs, shall we?" She offered her arm as I took it, and I escorted her out to set our plans in motion.

Meanwhile, Sadie was talking to the person who had put me in the hospital in the first place.

"Look, I really don't think we should do anything else," Sadie said, hoping to distract her partner in crime. "I mean, if we do anything, Jude's gonna suspect I had a hand in it."

"Come on, Sadie, you got me into this, remember? And I'm not stopping until I ruin Jude's career. You said you wouldn't stop until you got Tommy all to yourself. And now you turn your back on me now? Don't even think about it. We're in this together, and we're gonna teach those two a lesson about messing with us. If you pull out of this now, I'll take it to the press and make it look like it was all your doing. I was just an innocent bystander who you threatened to bring down with you if you were exposed. So what's it gonna be? Are you in, or are you out?" The person on the other line threatened.

"I'm in," Sadie mumbled, defeated. "But if my mom hears about this, I'm so dead."

"Who said she was?" The other person laughed. "Listen, if you stick with me, I'll make sure you won't get in any trouble at all. But tell anyone about our plans, and I'll make sure everyone knows what you were planning. We'll talk later." The person on the other end hung up.

Sadie's POV: What'd I get myself into?

AN: Will Sadie spill her secret? What will happen when Sadie sees Simon at the restaurant? Will Tommy go on tour with Jude? Read and review, if you so desire. I live for feedback, so the more you review, the faster I'll post a new chapter.


	27. Chapter 25

AN: OK, no one reviewed my last chapter. Was it that bad? Anyway, here's the next chapter. Please review, or I might just end it altogether, since it seems like no one cares to read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Sadie, Simon, Instant Star, or anything related to the show. Not that I wouldn't love to own Tim Rozon. But I do own the plot in this chapter, as it's entirely my idea. Enjoy!

Chapter 25:

I was finally released from the hospital, and the doctors had given me a few pills in case I couldn't stand the pain. I called Jude to come and get me, and she was there in a flash.

She pulled up to the front entrance, got out, and nearly tackled me as she gave me a hug nearly as big as her smile.

"Tommy, it's so great to see you!" Jude bubbled. "Come on, let's go!"

"Where are we going?" I wanted to know, as she dragged me to the passenger seat and pushed me in.

"You'll see," Jude smiled, got in the drivers' seat, and floored the gas pedal.

Minutes later, we were at my place. I nodded at the doorman as I put my arm around Jude. I loved watching her expression as she still couldn't get over the fact that I lived in a hotel downtown. We went up to my penthouse, where I slipped my key in the door, and invited her in.

"Make yourself at home," I said, as Jude simply gaped at the surroundings. I went into my room to get dressed.

Jude walked over to my mantel. "Tommy?"

"Yeah?" I answered.

"I didn't know you used to ride horses," Jude gazed at my picture.

"Yeah, I did. But that was when I was way younger than I am now." I admitted. No one ever knew that I used to ride horses. My mother used to be a champion equestrian.

"Did you like it?" Jude asked.

"Yeah, it was fun, but it wasn't something I could see myself doing. I mainly did it because my mom used to ride horses herself." I was amazed at how easily I opened up to Jude. Most of the time, people would ask me questions, but I would always give a false answer. But with Jude, there was something about her that was so genuine that I couldn't be anything but honest with her.

"Yeah, Sadie's the same way," Jude blurted out. "She entered tons of competitions, and she always won. Back then, she had an addiction to winning. She still does."

I finally finished getting dressed and came out. "So, how do I look?" I hoped that my appearance would take her off the Sadie subject.

Jude's mouth dropped open.

"What?" I wondered whether I had on the wrong color dress shirt.

"Nothing, it's just…" Jude trailed off.

"It's just…, what?" I repeated.

"You look amazing," Jude managed to spit out.

"Yeah, well, I try." Seeing Jude's smirk, I quickly added, "Not that in a few minutes you'd have the same effect on me."

"Yeah, right. You still see me as a gawky 15-year-old who couldn't manage to play a song right if her life depended on it." Jude kidded.

"Look at you now," I raised her chin with my hand as I bent down to kiss her. As always, the kiss was both electrifying and satisfying. Jude deepened the kiss and threw her arms around me. I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

Finally, we broke apart, breathing heavily to regain our breath. Jude was smiling, and I never thought she looked more beautiful than she did at that moment. Jude glanced down at her watch, then gasped.

"Tommy, we should get going," Jude said, putting her hand in mine. "You need to pick up Sadie, and I'll tell Simon to meet Sadie there.

Before I could respond, she was half-pushing, half-dragging me out of my penthouse, into the elevator, back out to my Viper, and into the driver's seat.

Once we were in the car, I shifted gears, and stepped on the gas lightly.

As soon as we got there, Jude practically flew out of the car, and into the house. She started bellowing, "Sadie, Tommy's here."

I made my way to the front door, which was open, and heard Sadie respond, "Oh my god, he's early! And I'm so not ready yet. Whatever you do, stall him."

I smiled as Jude turned around, smiling broadly. "You got it, big sis." She came closer and kissed me until we were both breathless.

I pulled away, keenly aware that Sadie could come down at any second. "Jude, we can't. Not here." I saw Jude frown, and I quickly added, "Later, OK? When we're alone?"

"Why do we always need to keep our relationship a secret? Why can't we just be ourselves?" Jude sighed in frustration.

"Because, I'm supposed to lure Sadie to the restaurant, remember?" I hugged her quickly, and she blushed in response.

"OK, fine, but I get you all to myself later," she demanded.

"I'll be all yours," I promised her. She smiled again as I turned to see Sadie descending the stairs. She looked…nice, to say the least. Sadie wore a royal blue dress that showed off every curve, and she wore gold hoop earrings along with her white high heels and matching purse.

"Hey, Jude," Sadie replied, ruffling her hair. "I'll be leaving with Tommy now, and I won't get back anytime soon, if you know what I mean."

I rolled my eyes at Jude, silently telling her that she had another thing coming. "I'll see you later, Jude," I managed to say before Sadie strung me along in her wake.

Jude waved from the front door, and disappeared into the house so that she could get ready.

Meanwhile, Sadie and I had left her house and were on the way to the restaurant. I decided to make small talk to keep her occupied.

"So, Sadie, how's work?" I tried to keep my tone light, hoping she wouldn't suspect anything.

"Oh, it's great. I get to interview celebrities just like you. Up close and personal. But I especially like ones who are totally hot, but not nearly as hot as you," Sadie purred, stroking my arm with her hand.

"Uh-huh," I cleared my throat, thinking of something that would change the mood. "Um, Sadie?"

"Yeah?" Sadie looked at me, clearly puzzled.

"How's school going?" At her exasperated glance, I quickly added, "I mean, does anyone talk to you? About Jude's career?"

At Sadie's exasperated glance, I knew I'd struck gold. "Some people do. I mean, I know I should be happy for her, but every once in a while, it's like, 'Enough already!' Jude's not the only Harrison in the family," Sadie began complaining. She went on about how Jude outshined her and made her feel like she was always in Jude's shadow, and not the other way around, even though Jude was supposed to be in hers, since she should be the one looking up to Sadie as her older, more mature, and more sophisticated older sister.

I drowned her out, thinking about the lyrics to Jude's latest song that she had been working on, and we finally got to the restaurant. By the time we'd placed our orders, I saw Jude slip in with Simon.

"Uh, Sadie?" I cut in.

"Yes?" Sadie was curious.

"I'll be right back, OK?" Sadie shrugged, thinking I was going to sign some autographs or something. I took off towards the restroom, and when she wasn't looking, I walked towards the exit and grabbed Jude on the way out.

"I sent Simon over to your table," Jude said. "Wanna stick around?"

"No, let's go before Mt. Sadie erupts and we get caught in her path." I led Jude toward my Viper, and headed back to the studio.

When we got there, the first person we saw was E.J.

"Hey, E.J." Jude greeted her publicist.

"Hi Jude, Tommy," E.J. said. Before she could say any more, I pulled E.J. aside and asked Jude to go work with Kwest.

"What is it, Tommy?" E.J. was dying to know.

"Listen, can you do me a favor?" I asked, knowing E.J. would be up for it.

"It depends. Go on," E.J. commanded.

"When Sadie gets here, demanding to talk to either me or Jude, can you distract her with wardrobe and makeup tips?" I smiled my famous smile, and watched as E.J. boiled over with excitement.

"Of course, why didn't you say so earlier? I'll need samples, and colors, and…" E.J. rushed off without another thought.

"Gotta love E.J.," I thought. I headed over to the studio, where I knew Jude would be hard at work.

As I suspected, Jude was hunched over, busy scribbling down lyrics as they came to her. I gazed at her, curious as to what she had written. I was so captivated by her appearance that Kwest grabbed me and shook me before I knew what was going on.

"Kwest, man, that was so not necessary," I said, as I straightened my shirt.

"Man, get outta here. You're useless. You won't be able to get anything done, at least not with Jude around." Kwest shook his head in annoyance.

"You're right," I said, as I strode over to Jude and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, babe, let's get outta here."

"Whoa, who said Jude's leaving?" Kwest challenged.

I looked at Jude, knowing she was on my side. "I am," Jude said, daring Kwest to back down. "Got a problem with that?"

Kwest shook his head again, this time in defeat. "No wonder you two get along so well. You're a perfect match. Fine, go on, but if Georgia screams at me for letting you two off, I'll let you two do the talking."

I snuck a look at Jude, and she had a mischievous look in her eyes. "Come on, Tommy, let's go help E.J. set up for the release party." She dragged me off before I could object.


	28. Chapter 26

AN: OK, the last chapter was pretty slow, but I'll try to speed things up a bit. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys really inspire me to keep going (not that Instant Star: Backstage Pass didn't help as well)!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Sadie, Instant Star, any other characters on the show, or anything related to the show. I wish I could meet Tim Rozon, but I think that if I ever did, I'd probably faint. I hope you like my latest chapter. Please tell me if you do (or don't), what you like (or don't like). I'm open to any suggestions on how to make this more interesting.

Chapter 26:

Time: The day of the release party

Place: A downtown hotel

Flashback:

"Look, I really don't think we should do anything else," Sadie said, hoping to distract her partner in crime. "I mean, if we do anything, Jude's gonna suspect I had a hand in it."

"Come on, Sadie, you got me into this, remember? And I'm not stopping until I ruin Jude's career. You said you wouldn't stop until you got Tommy all to yourself. And now you turn your back on me now? Don't even think about it. We're in this together, and we're gonna teach those two a lesson about messing with us. If you pull out of this now, I'll take it to the press and make it look like it was all your doing. I was just an innocent bystander who you threatened to bring down with you if you were exposed. So what's it gonna be? Are you in, or are you out?" The person on the other line threatened.

"I'm in," Sadie mumbled, defeated. "But if my mom hears about this, I'm so dead."

"Who said she was?" The other person laughed. "Listen, if you stick with me, I'll make sure you won't get in any trouble at all. But tell anyone about our plans, and I'll make sure everyone knows what you were planning. We'll talk later." The person on the other end hung up.

Sadie's POV: What'd I get myself into?

End of flashback 

"Tommy, can I talk to you for a second?" Sadie asked. She looked serious. I nodded as I followed her to a secluded corner where we could talk in private.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked her, doubting that anything she said to me would be truthful.

"What if I told you that I did something that I regret?" Sadie began, her voice a little shaky.

"You mean, what you've done to Jude?" I guessed.

Sadie nodded and took a deep breath. "I know I'm supposed to be her big sister, but sometimes she gets all the attention. First she wins the Instant Star competition, next she's surrounded by people who're interested in her only for the musical talent she has. I guess I'm just used to getting the spotlight that I hate it whenever she takes it from me."

I gave her a look, and she added, "But that doesn't excuse what I've done. That whole thing with you, and Jude finding out, it's just another competition for me, just something that I do naturally. I don't mean to hurt her, because I know you'll always choose her over me. It's always been her, hasn't it?" Tears formed in her eyes as I confirmed what she'd been saying.

"Sadie, if I led you on in any way, I'm sorry i" I urged.

"I'm not going to mess with you two anymore, that's for sure," Sadie muttered. "Coming between you does have its perks, but it gets old real fast when the result is always the same. Jude makes a dramatic exit in tears, you go after her to smooth things over, she refuses your apologies and storms out, you both sulk until you can't stand being apart any longer, and you ultimately end up making out to make up for lost time. Am I right?"

"You know me too well," I rolled my eyes in mock exasperation. "So can I count on you to leave us alone?"

"Sure, but just so you know, I wasn't in it alone," Sadie whispered to me conspiratorially. "I can't say who I was plotting with, but if this person finds out, we'd all be in big trouble." She snuck glances left and right to make sure no one was listening, and made a quick exit to avoid being seen with me.

I went off to find Jude to tell her the good news. She squealed in delight as I told her about Sadie finally backing off and giving us some space. She looked puzzled when I told her she wasn't alone in her evil plot to break us apart.

"Any ideas who it could be?" Jude asked.

I shook my head. "I would have to guess that it's someone you and her know, not me. Everyone I know is in the business, and they wouldn't know Sadie unless they knew you first. And how many people do you know in the business? Besides me, Kwest, E.J., Georgia, Shay, and Darius?"

"No one," Jude replied, still thinking hard.

"Do you have any enemies? People who love seeing you upset or sad about something? I mean, besides Sadie?" Tommy suggested.

"No, no one who'd want to hurt me that bad. At least, not worse than I think they would." Jude looked concerned now. I reached out and held her, trying to make her feel better.

"Don't worry about it, OK? Whoever it is, they'll have to deal with me first," I suggested, trying to take her mind off whoever had it in for Jude.

"No, they'll have to answer to both of us," Jude smiled, as she laid her arm around my neck. E.J. breezed by, and asked Jude to meet some people. A minute later, she was gone.

An hour later, the guests had arrived for Jude's release party, and it was in full swing. I went to get a drink, and saw Sadie talking to someone. I couldn't see who it was, because of all the people around, and I also saw Shay, Darius, Jamie, and Kat. As soon as I'd walked in the room, a crowd instantly formed around me.

"No way! You're little Tommy Q! Can I please have your autograph?" One young woman pushed a pen and paper at me before I could respond. Her friend stood there, speechless, but did the same thing. Before I knew it, the crowd around me had all asked for one.

After I'd given everyone an autograph, I went to join Sadie at her table as Jude took the stage.

"She was born for this," I commented.

"Yeah, just look at her. I used to sing Boyz Attack songs nonstop when we were growing up, but I never thought she'd be just like you. You know, an artist." Sadie looked on in amazement. "She always told me that one day she'd be a famous rock star, but I never believed her. I just thought she had an overactive imagination, especially when she said she'd written songs that she was going to perform one day. Who knew?"

I set my drink down on the counter, just in case Sadie got any ideas about asking for a sip. We gradually became immersed in Jude's music, forgetting everything and everyone around us as we listened to the lyrics.

All too soon, her set was over. I saw Jude come down and make her way toward us. "Hey Sadie, Tommy," Jude said, a silent question forming in her eyes.

"Hey, girl," I smiled at her. "Great song, by the way."

"Wasn't me. It was all you," Jude said humbly.

"Wasn't me who went up there and brought the house down," I countered.

"Yeah, great job Jude," Sadie said, looking as if she meant it.

Jude was taken aback for a moment, then responded, "Thanks, Sadie," even though she still looked she hadn't expected Sadie's compliment.

"Guys, I'm gonna take off. I know people are going to crash here for the night, so I'd better get a room before all the good ones are taken." Sadie said, just before she left.

"Man, I'm wiped. I guess I'd better take her advice, huh?" I had to admit, Jude did look exhausted.

"Go on, I'll be there in a sec." Jude hugged me before she left to reserve a room.

I finished off my drink, threw back a few more, and went to find Kwest.

I found Kwest with Georgia, as usual. "Hey, man, what'd you think?" I asked. Knowing Kwest, he'd be just as happy with Jude's performance as I was.

"Sonic perfection, man," Kwest grinned. "That's our girl."

"For once, man, I think you're right." I couldn't help grinning back. "Listen, I'm going to go get a room. Want to come with me? We can get a double."

"Fine by me. We'll split the tab and I'll pay you later." Kwest looked like there was something serious he wanted to talk to Georgia about, so I left them alone.

When I got to the reception desk, I was told that there were no more double rooms available.

"So what do you have left?" I asked.

"We have single rooms available, but with the number of people who are staying here tonight…" The manager trailed off, not knowing what to tell me.

"Whatever. Can you get me in Jude Harrison's room?" I asked, secretly hoping that he wouldn't notice I was her producer.

"You mean, the Instant Star winner? She's all anyone ever talks about. Sure, no problem." The manager had it all arranged within minutes, and I secretly hoped Kwest would forgive me for ditching him. After all, he could stay with Georgia, couldn't he?

I'd asked for drinks to be prepared by the time I got there, and as soon as I entered, I saw them right where the manager said they'd be. The room was fairly spacious, although I knew Jude'd freak when she saw I'd been assigned to her room. I had a few more drinks, then felt like I had one too many. I decided to rest for a little while, and turned off the lights.

Minutes later, I heard the door open, and someone come in.

"Jude, is that you?" I called out groggily.

Jude didn't say anything, but walked over to where I was (or should I say, weaved her way over to the bed. She was obviously drunk.) She placed a finger to my lips, and soon replaced it with her mouth.

The kiss was intense and passionate, as it always was. But something wasn't right. I couldn't place what that something was, but I decided to let it slip for now. I leaned over her, pushing her down further as she ran her hands through my hair and threw her arms around my shoulders, savoring every moment.

Pretty soon, we were making out like there was no tomorrow, and I felt Jude trying to take my shirt off.

"Jude, wait. I don't want any regrets. If you're not ready, I can wait," I said patiently, knowing I'd be her first. I didn't want her to be OK with it now, and then later regret it every single day for the rest of her life.

Jude whispered back, "No regrets," as she brought her mouth back to mine possessively.

I groaned as I began taking her clothes off, piece by piece, as she did the same to me. Pretty soon, I felt her skin on mine, and it felt so right.

"Jude…" I began again, hoping to dissuade her from making a mistake.

"Tommy, it's always been you." Jude whispered, as she let the passion wash over her. We let ourselves fall deeper and deeper, until there was no turning back.

AN: What'll happen next? Will Jude and Tommy end up happily ever after? Will one of them have regrets? Will Sadie (or the other person) try to break them up again? Will something major happen before Jude takes off on her tour? Please read and review to find out!


	29. Chapter 27

AN: Again, thanks everyone for reviewing! You guys rock! This will be a really short chapter, and I won't post again until Monday, because I have this major project due that day, and I haven't even started yet since I've been sick :o(! But after Monday, I'll promise to have a long chapter to make up for it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Eden, Sadie, Instant Star, any other characters on the show, or anything related to the show. I wish I could meet Tim Rozon, but I think that if I ever did, I'd probably faint. I hope you like my latest chapter. Please tell me if you do (or don't), what you like (or don't like). I'm open to any suggestions on how to make this more interesting.

Chapter 27:

Time: The morning after the release party

Place: A downtown hotel

I awoke to a pounding headache and a killer hangover.

My POV: "I've gotta do this more often. I can't let Kwest see me like this. He'll make jokes about how I can't hold my liquor as well as I used to." I groaned as I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. "But at least I got some…I wonder how Kwest's doing."

I heard Jude stir beside me, moaning softly, as she also had a major hangover. I opened my eyes slowly, letting my eyes adjust gradually to the sunlight streaming in. I turned over and realized that the person in front of me wasn't Jude. Her hair was blonde, not red as I'd thought.

"What are you doing here?" I gasped in horror, realizing my mistake. "You're not Jude."

Person (smiling nastily): "No, but Jude's gonna freak when she finds out what you've done. I'll be the one to tell her, and there's nothing you can do about it."

AN: Who is it? Will Jude find out? Is this the end of Jude and Tommy as we know it? Please read and review to find out!


	30. Chapter 28

AN: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys seriously rock! Some of you made guesses as to who the mystery person was. I had a hard time deciding, but I hope you're happy with how it turned out. And this chapter's not as long as I thought it'd be, but some things are better off delayed (more drama that way ;o)! )

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Eden, Sadie, Instant Star, any other characters on the show, or anything related to the show. I love Tim Rozon! I can't wait for Season 2 to start. February 10 seems so far away. Anyway, on with the story!.

Chapter 28:

Me (hardly believing that this was happening): "And why do you think Jude'd believe your story over mine? It's not like you guys are close or anything."

Person (smirking): "And why would you think Jude'd believe yours? You've broken her heart so many times with other girls, what's one more?"

She got up, stretching, and stood up, gathering her clothes from where they landed the night before. "Don't worry, I'll make sure she knows about this. She's going to want to know what her boyfriend was doing last night. And I'd be more than happy to tell her you were all over me." She hastily put her clothes back on, and gave me one last glance. "You might want to make yourself more presentable when you see Jude later. You look like you just had the night of your life. And I'm sure you won't forget it anytime soon." She swung her handbag over her shoulder and walked out.

My POV: How am I gonna explain this to Jude? First, she'll beat the hell out of me, then use me as a punching bag, then she'll pick me up and make sure I die a slow, painful death. Maybe I can talk to Kwest about this.

After I'd finished getting dressed, I went down the hall to look for Kwest. I knocked on his door, calling out, "Hey Kwest, it's Tommy. I really need to talk to you."

Seconds passed, and Kwest hadn't responded.

"Kwest, are you there?" I called louder. Two people peeked their heads out of their rooms to glare at me before going back in. "Sorry," I muttered. I went back to pounding on his door. Still no response.

Tommy's POV: OK, maybe I'll talk to Sadie.

I went over to Sadie's room, careful not to wake other people up.

"Sadie? Are you there?" I knocked on her door, careful not to wake her neighbors up.

I heard voices talking, then Sadie opened the door. She looked like she hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

"Sorry to wake you, but I really need to talk to you. I was going to talk to Kwest first, but he wasn't in his room." I said desperately, not realizing Sadie was walking toward the bathroom.

"You can come out now," Sadie said. Who was she talking to? I wondered to myself. Moments later, Kwest emerged. I gaped as Kwest walked up to Sadie and took her hand.

"Kwest, you…and Sadie?" I was floored.

Kwest looked down at the ground, reluctant to answer. Sadie spoke for him.

"Yes, me and Kwest," Sadie announced. "I realized I could never win your heart, that I could never make you fall in love with me. You're too much in love with Jude that you don't even realize it. And Jude loves you just as much, but is so scared of losing you to someone else that she gets jealous every time you so much as look at another girl. So I started talking to Kwest, and pretty soon I found I had a lot in common with him. Both of us are envious of people who are artists, and neither of them know what it's like, or how much it hurts, to be in someone else's shadow. Kwest wanted our relationship to be under wraps, so I've been coming to the studio when you aren't there, and he's been coming to see me right after he's done at work."

"So that's why you never have any time for me anymore," I turned to Kwest, mock jealousy spread all over my face. "You spend all your free time with Sadie, instead of having quality time with me."

"Tommy, look," Kwest began, but I cut him off, laughing. At their shocked expressions, I hastily added, "It's OK, I'm just surprised is all. I never would have guessed you and Sadie hooked up."

They looked relieved, and I remembered why I'd come to see Sadie in the first place. "Listen, about before," I said to both of them.

They glanced at each other, and Kwest spoke up. "It's all in the past. We've let it go. You should too, before it tears you up."

I looked at them, grateful for understanding. "The reason I wanted to talk to you is…" I broke off, knowing I couldn't tell them. This was something I had to face alone

"Tommy, what is it?" Sadie asked, gently placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Never mind, it's nothing," I said as I blindly stumbled from the room. I made it back to my room, and slammed the door. Tears began to fall from my eyes as I imagined Jude's response to the news. Shock, anger, sadness, and hatred. These were all emotions I've witnessed before from her, so why was I so affected by them now? Then I realized that I loved her, and couldn't stand being apart from her anymore. I had to do something before she discovered what had happened, and I needed to make sure she was always close by so that nothing could break us up. Moments later, I heard someone knocking on my door.

"Tommy, let us in," Kwest called. I quickly dried my eyes, and let them in.

"What was all that about? First you come in, and then you take off faster than your Viper. What's going on?" Kwest and Sadie both looked concerned.

"It's me," I said, and proceeded to tell them the whole story. Sadie looked shocked at what had happened, and she mumbled under her breath, "She's so gonna pay for that."

Kwest and I both looked at her. "What'd you say?" I asked.

"Nothing," Sadie replied, a little too quickly.

"How do you know who I'm talking about?" I demanded. Sadie looked as if she'd been slapped. "I-I don't," she stammered. Kwest looked at her, puzzled.

"Don't lie to me, Sadie. You know who it was, and I need to know so I can make sure she never breaks me and Jude up again." I warned.

"Look, Tommy. You and Jude have had way too much drama. Let me handle Eden, OK?" Sadie pleaded.

"Not without my help," Kwest put his arm protectively around Sadie. "And not without Tommy's either. If it affects Jude, it affects him." Seeing Sadie object, he added, "Trust me on this. You don't want to see Tommy mad. He means business. And Tommy won't relent until Jude's safe again."

I looked at Sadie, willing her to agree. "Fine," she threw her hands up. "I give up. You're both in. But I have to warn you, Eden's got tricks so far up her sleeve, I don't know how we'll beat her at her own game."

Kwest laughed ruefully. "You don't know Tommy, do you?" he asked Sadie. "Tommy doesn't give up until he gets what he wants. And no one's ever been able to match him, except for Jude, of course." He added the last part at one glare from me. "So what should we do?"

Before any of us could respond to his question, someone knocked at the door. Kwest went to get it, thinking it was Eden. He opened the door, revealing a shocked Jude.

"Hi guys," Jude said, plastering a fake smile on her face. "Sadie, what's going on? Tommy? Kwest?" She looked from Sadie to me to Kwest. None of us knew how to respond.

AN: Will any of them tell Jude the truth? Will Jude find out from Eden? Or will Tommy, Sadie, and Kwest manage to hold off that coppertone she-devil? Please read and review to find out!


	31. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Eden, Sadie, Instant Star, any other characters on the show, or anything related to the show. I love Tim Rozon! I can't wait for Season 2 to start. February 10 seems so far away. Anyway, on with the story!.

Chapter 29:

I finally broke the silence, clearing my throat to get everyone's attention. "Uh, guys? Can I talk to Jude? Alone?"

Sadie and Kwest made a beeline for the door. Jude stared at them as they retreated, then turned. "Something's wrong, I can feel it." She added, "Tommy, what happened?"

I took a deep breath, and knew she'd hate me for what I was about to tell her. "Jude, I…" I couldn't look at her, but I turned away so she wouldn't see the tears beginning to fall from my eyes. I wiped them away, and Jude moved to face me.

"Tommy, did Sadie…" Jude couldn't bring herself to finish her question.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

"Then who?" Jude wasn't upset, but I knew she could snap easily.

I shook my head in response, trying to protect her, and looked away, hoping she couldn't see the pain in my eyes.

Jude turned my face to look at hers. "Tommy, whatever it is, we'll deal with it. Together. OK? We've been through so much together, and I don't want anything else to ruin our relationship. Who is it?" Feeling me stiffen at her touch, she spoke gently. "Tommy, it's OK, I won't run this time. I know it's not your fault. I can see it in your eyes. It'll be OK."

"No, it won't," I said, before I could stop myself. "Jude, it's all my fault. I got drunk last night, and when I came to what I thought was your room, I noticed someone was already there. But I didn't know who it was, because the lights were out, and I thought it was you. Things happened, and when I woke up this morning, I found out it wasn't you, and now it'll be on all the major networks by tonight, and the front page news tomorrow morning." I started for the door, but Jude was quicker, and she laid a hand on my arm to stop me.

Jude glanced at me as if to say, "Do I need to repeat myself again?" I studied her closely, looking for any signs of anger or sadness that she might be feeling, but instead found a sense of calm and acceptance. I sighed in defeat, and simply said, "It was Eden."

Jude gasped. "You slept with her?"

I nodded numbly and she shook her head as if to clear her mind of the image. "That little…"

"Jude, I know you're probably furious with me…" I began, and Jude cut me off before I could say anything else.

"Yeah, I am. But I'm way more upset at that…that overdyed, push-up bra'ed, pop princess wannabe. I take that back. I want to see her suffer. I knew she'd try and do something like this…I can totally expect this from her, she's always trying to steal someone's boyfriend." Jude began pacing now, planning what she'd do to get her back.

"Hey, what about setting Shay up with her? Then when they're together, you can steal him away from her?" I suggested.

"Great idea, except for two things. One, that's what Eden does all the time, and two, I'm stuck with you, remember?"

"How could I forget?" I pulled her close, loving the way we fit together so perfectly. It was as if we were made for one another.

"What if we asked Kwest and Sadie for help?" I suggested. "I'm sure Sadie wants a piece of her, and Kwest's like the protective big brother you never had."

"Yeah, Sadie'd be good at it, wouldn't she?" Jude mused. "OK, let's go with it." We made our way to the door, and as we opened it, Kwest and Sadie fell in.

"Ow!" Kwest said as Sadie fell on top of him. "God, Sadie, you gotta stop eating so much."

"What do you mean?" Sadie smacked Kwest before getting up and putting her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know I'm a perfect size 6."

Kwest groaned in pain as he struggled to get up. "More like a size 60," he muttered under his breath. Sadie heard, and shoved him back down.

"Oh, please. Stop being such a big baby, Kwest." Sadie rolled her eyes, as Kwest got up, rubbing his head and moaning, then turned to us. "You were saying?"

Jude and I were laughing at the scene before us, and I let Jude continue.

"What we were saying, before you guys so rudely eavesdropped on our conversation, is that we need a way to get back at Eden for trying to hook up with Tommy."

"Count me in," Sadie announced promptly. "Eden's going down, especially after what she made me do…" She realized her mistake and looked up to see all three of us staring at her.

"Care to explain yourself, Sadie?" Jude pointedly asked.

AN: How will Sadie explain herself? Can she manage to make herself come out on top, or will everything come crashing down on her? Please review to find out. BTW, I'm open to any suggestions, so if you want something written a certain way, let me know, and I'll see what I can do.


	32. Chapter 30

AN: OMG, I can't believe I have almost 100 reviews! This is so awesome, yet unbelievable. You guys seriously rock! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I wouldn't be able to do this without your comments to keep me going, You guys are the best!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jude, Tommy, Eden, Kwest, Sadie, Instant Star, any other characters on the show, or anything related to the show. I love Tim Rozon! Arggghhh, 9 more days until Instant Star returns. I can't take it any more (I can't wait that long). Guess I'll have to watch Instant Star: Backstage Pass until I memorize it word for word. Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter 30:

Sadie blushed as all eyes were on her. "Um…" she said, trying to stall for time. She tried to avoid our gaze, which made us all even more suspicious of her.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "OK, I give," Sadie said. "Eden forced me into helping her break you guys up, and she said if I didn't, that she'd tell my parents that I was planning to move in with Kwest."

"You're what? Are you serious?" I turned to Kwest, incredulous. "You know much heat Mr. Harrison gave me when I was dating Sadie?"

Kwest looked sheepish. "Yeah, I am. And I know how much Sadie's parents were against her and you when you were dating. But why should we hide our feelings from everyone when we love each other and want to be together?" He looked unsure about it, until Sadie came and placed her arm around his waist as she looked lovingly up at him.

"Yeah, Tommy," Jude echoed. "Why should we?"

"Sadie, could I talk to Kwest for a minute?" I said, trying to avoid Jude's question.

"Sure. Jude, can I hear your new song again? I love it," Sadie gushed, as she pulled Jude out with her. I knew I'd have to answer her eventually, but at least I could think about it before putting my foot in my mouth again.

"Kwest, I'm gonna need to take off for a few hours tomorrow. I know Jude's got another performance tomorrow, and I'll be there. But I really have to do something beforehand. When Georgia finds out, can you cover for me?" I asked.

Kwest shook his head. "OK, but this had better be good."

"Oh, it is. Trust me." I said, smiling.

--

The next day, I went to the store. I spent several hours looking for the perfect one, and finally found it. I brought it up to the cashier, and I had it all set for Jude's performance.

My POV: When Jude sees what I got her, she'll flip. Then I know she'll forgive me for that whole Eden thing.

AN: What did Tommy get? R & R to find out! And if you have any ideas on what should happen next, let me know. I'm kinda stuck about where to take this story.


	33. Chapter 31

AN: OMG, I can't believe I have almost 100 reviews! sniffle This is so awesome, yet unbelievable. wiping tears away You guys seriously rock! I can't thank you enough! Without your comments to keep me going, I'd have given up a long time ago. You guys are the best!

Special Note to ticia-rockinmysoxoff: Thank you for your suggestion. It worked out perfectly with what I ended up writing!

Disclaimer: I don't own the song "I Wanna Be With You" by Mandy Moore. I also don't own Jude, Tommy, Kwest, Sadie, Instant Star, any other characters on the show, or anything related to the show. I love Tim Rozon! Arggghhh, 8 more days until Instant Star returns. I can't take it any more pulling out hair. Guess I'll have to watch Instant Star: Backstage Pass until I memorize it word for word. Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter 31:

Jude was going to be performing that night, and everyone at G Major was buzzing with the news. E.J. outdid herself in fussing over Jude's appearance, until Jude groaned in exasperation, threw up her hands, and swore that if E.J. didn't leave her alone, she'd turn the tables on her and pester her until she got the message.

Kwest and I were busy mixing some tracks for Jude's performance.

"Hey, Kwest, what's this?" I saw a tape sticking out from under all the papers Kwest had on the desk as he was constantly changing the chords that were written on them. I leaned over to take a closer look, but Kwest grabbed it and stuffed it under all the papers again.

"Uh, it's nothing," Kwest said quickly. "Here, why don't you listen to this one?" He pointed at another disc that was next to me.

I grudgingly obliged, and put the disc in the player. Within moments, a steady beat came pouring out of the stereo.

I looked at Kwest, and said, "Jude's gonna kill at her performance tonight."

Kwest smiled, and I smiled back, loving how my girl was gonna bring the house down.

Just then, Jude came in, and immediately sat down in my lap, putting her arm around me.

"Hey," she said, leaning over and giving me a long, deep kiss.

Kwest cleared his throat. "Um, when are you guys ever gonna cut it out?"

Jude shot back, chuckling, "When the image of you and Sadie together doesn't make me sick anymore."

Kwest pretended to look hurt. "Do you think I should ask your parents if I can date Sadie tonight?"

I quickly put in, "NO!" Both Kwest and Jude looked shocked.

"Why not?" Kwest asked.

"I just don't want any media attention drawn away from Jude, that's all," I said defensively. Which was partially true, since Jude didn't deserve to have the spotlight taken away from her.

"Man, can you think of anything but Jude?" Kwest complained.

"Dude, shut it. You're starting to sound like Sadie used to." I said in Jude's defense. Jude smiled and hugged me. "Besides, why shouldn't I? I'm living my dream, sharing it with the one person who means everything to me, life doesn't get much better than this." I said truthfully.

Just then, E.J. burst in. "There you are," she said, coming toward Jude with hair spray and and a brush. "I've been looking all over for you. I should've known you'd be with Tommy." Jude shrieked and ran away with E.J. in hot pursuit, yelling at her to slow down, otherwise her hair would be ruined.

Kwest and I laughed at the sight of them, then I told Kwest to be ready with my own song. We rehearsed for a little while, then went home early to get ready.

Later that night, Jude's family, friends, G Major staff, and other guests were drifting in.

Jude was already there, doing a sound check, but what she didn't know was that I was there before her, getting ready to perform my own song.

When everyone had arrived, Kwest made the announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I please have your attention?" Kwest raised his voice as the sound of people conversing slowly died down. Everyone turned to look at him.

"As is promised, the woman of the hour has arrived. And here she is." Everyone clapped and cheered as Jude made her way down for pictures.

Moments later, Kwest interrupted. "But first, here's a special performance by none other than little Tommy Q, who's turned into one of the hottest writer/producers, and is our very own Tom Quincy!" He smiled as all the females in the room either shrieked in response, or called out, "Tommy, will you marry me?"

I took the stage, smiling, and as soon as the screams died down, I calmly said, "Sorry, ladies, but I'm already taken. And this song I'm about to sing, it's for her." I continued to smile as I heard their disappointment, and began to play.

I try but I can't seem to get myself  
To think of anything but you  
Your breath on my face  
Your warm gentle kiss, I taste the truth  
I taste the truth

We know what I came here for  
So I wont ask for more

Chorus  
I wanna be with you  
If only for a night  
To be the one whose in your arms  
Who holds you tight  
I wanna be with you  
There's nothing more to say  
There's nothing else I want more than to feel this way  
I wanna be with you

So Ill hold you tonight  
Like I would if you were mine  
To hold forever more  
And Ill saver each touch that I wanted  
So much to feel before (To feel before)  
How beautiful it is  
Just to be like this

Chorus  
I wanna be with you  
If only for a night  
To be the one whose in your arms  
Who holds you tight  
I wanna be with you  
There's nothing more to say  
There's nothing else I want more than to feel this way  
I wanna be with you

Oh baby  
I cant fight this feeling anymore  
It drives me crazy when I try to  
So call my name  
Take my hand  
Make my wish  
Baby, your command?

Yeah

I wanna be with you  
There's nothing more to say  
There's nothing else I want more than to feel this way  
(I wanna be) I wanna be with you (I wanna be with you)  
I wanna be with you  
Wanna be with you (Yeah)  
(I wanna be with you) I wanna be  
I wanna be with you  
(I wanna be)  
(I wanna be)  
(I wanna be with you) Yeah  
(I wanna be with you)  
I wanna be, I wanna be baby  
I wanna be  
(I wanna be with you)  
I wanna be with you, yeah  
I wanna be with you  
I wanna be with you

As the last notes faded into silence, I heard earsplitting shrieks and people clapping. But I searched the crowd for the only person whose response mattered to me. There, in the midst of a satisfied crowd, was Jude, whose face was covered with tears. I set the guitar down, got off the stage, and went to her. The crowd sighed with admiration as I took her in my arms and wiped her tears away. Then I asked her, "What'd you think?"

Jude looked up, tears still welling in her eyes. She whispered softly, "I love it." I smiled at her response, and hugged her. Then I got down on one knee, and said, "Jude, I love you. I don't care if the whole world knows. I don't want to spend another day without you. I know I've hurt you in the past, and I know I'll hurt you in the future, but if you can find it in your heart to give us a chance, and if you love me at all, please say you'll marry me." I held out the box with the ring in it, and watched as she gasped in surprise. Her eyes lit up when she opened it, revealing a simple yet exquisite diamond and emerald ring. I held my breath, waiting to see what she would say, when someone spoke up, and said, "I won't let that happen."

AN: Who was it? And how will Jude respond? R & R to find out! Again, if you have any ideas on what should happen next, let me know. I might just use your ideas sometime (especially when your ideas are so much better than the ones I've come up with).


	34. Chapter 32

AN: OMG, you guys are awesome! sniffle I can't thank you enough! wiping tears away Without your comments to keep me going, I'd have given up a long time ago. You guys are the best!

Special Note to Readers: I will be ending this fanfic within a few more chapters, I don't know how many more yet. It's only because the new season is starting on Friday (in the U.S.), and I think I may have taken too long to write it (because Jude's not even on tour yet, at least not in my story). So if it seems rushed, it's because I'm trying to catch up.

Disclaimer: I don't own "My Happy Ending", by Avril Lavigne. I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star. I love Tim Rozon/Tommy Q! Arggghhh, 6 more days until Instant Star returns. I can't take it any more! pulling out hair in frustration Guess I'll have to watch Instant Star: Backstage Pass until I memorize it word for word. Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter 32:

It was as if time stood still. Jude and I both turned, noticing Shay for the first time.

"Shay?" Jude asked, surprised that he'd come to her release party. "What are you doing?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago," Shay looked down, suddenly nervous as all eyes were on him. "Jude, I screwed up. I know I shouldn't have been with Eden, but I was stupid, and I'm sorry. And if you won't give me another chance, I'll know it's because of Tommy. But just so you know, I'd rather die a long and painful death than see Tommy draped all over you like some lovesick puppy."

"That can be arranged," I muttered, just loud enough for Shay and Jude to hear. Jude elbowed me hard in the gut, and as I gasped in pain, Jude replied, "Really, Shay? That's too bad, then, because I'd rather die a long and painful death than take back the guy who dumped me to be with Eden, of all people." She stalked off, grabbing her guitar as Shay watched, speechless.

Jude made her way up to the stage before Kwest could introduce her, and Kwest managed to get out, "Jude Harrison, everyone" before Jude started playing a rough and edgy melody. Soon her voice joined the notes coming from her guitar.

"So much for my happy ending...  
Oh,x7

Let's talk this over,  
It's not like we're dead,  
Was it something I did,  
Was it something you said?  
Don't leave me hanging,  
In a city so dead,  
Held up so high,  
On such a breakable thread.

You were all the things I thought I knew  
and I thought we could be...

You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be but we lost it  
All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending,  
So much for my happy ending.

Oh oh, oh oh  
So much for my happy ending

You've got your dumb friends,  
I know what they say,  
They tell you I'm difficult,  
but so are they.  
But they don't know me,  
Do they even know you?  
All the things you hide from me,  
All the shit that you do.

You were all the things I thought I knew  
and I thought we could be...

You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending

It's nice to know that you were there,  
So thanks for acting like you cared  
and making me feel like I was the only one.  
It's nice to know we had it all,  
Thanks for watching as I fall  
and letting me know we were done.

He was everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending

You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending

Oh oh, oh oh  
So much for my happy ending

Oh oh, oh oh  
So much for my happy ending

Oh oh, oh oh,  
Oh oh, oh oh

As soon as the song was over, Jude set down her guitar, walked off stage again, and grabbed me on the way out, not even bothering to look at Shay.

"Jude, what was that about?" I asked, as Jude kissed me hard.

I broke off the kiss, bewildered. "Jude…"

"Tommy, don't…" Jude began. "You're the one I'm supposed to be with, so don't talk to me about him…" She couldn't even bring up his name.

"Is Shay the reason you're with me?" I wondered.

"No," Jude insisted, even though she looked unsure of herself. "And if you're wondering, my answer's yes."

"What?" I couldn't believe it.

"Yes, I'll marry you, Tommy," Jude said before pulling me down for another intense kiss.

"Jude, are you sure? Because I don't want you to say that you'll marry me just to get back at Shay, or anyone else you've dated who I don't know about."

"I'm positive," Jude said, looking directly into my eyes. "Shay hurt me a long time ago, and when we first started dating, I was wondering the same thing. But after a while, I got over him and moved on. And the song I sang tonight, it was one of the ones that I wrote when we first broke up."

She held out her hand, expecting me to put the ring on her finger. "Now will you give me that ring or not?"

Ilaughed at her comment. Irealized she was being truthful by the way she demanded that I give it to her. After I put it on her finger, she pulled me in for a big hug. "I love you, Tommy," she whispered into my ear.

"I love you too, girl," I responded, meaning every word.

Just then, Darius came burstingthrough the door.

"What is this? I know Shay screwed up, but you won't give him another chance?" he said, glaring at Jude. Shay stood behind him, smirking.

"Nope," Jude stood her ground. "He hurt me more than once, and now he wants to come crawling back to me? I don't think so. Come on, Tommy, let's make our announcement," she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me back into the crowd.

On the way back in, Jude whispered to E.J., who squealed in delight, and ran up to the stage, grabbing the microphone from Kwest, and pushed him off. Kwest looked livid, and came over to me.

"Man, what's her deal?" Kwest spat out, as E.J. was happily telling the crowd that Jude had an announcement to make.

I was about to answer when Jude motioned for me to join her on stage. Again, as I made my way up there, the females in the crowd cheered and asked me to marry them. I laughed at the irony of it all, and knew there was only one girl I wanted to be mine.

When I got up there, Jude took my hand, and shyly said, "Tommy and I are getting married." Although some people in the crowd groaned in disappointment, most of the others cheered in response. Photographers started flashing pictures, and Jude and I started taking questions like, "How long has this been going on?", and "Will you get married before or after Jude goes on tour?" In response to the questions we hadn't talked about, Jude just said, "No comment." She was getting really good at handling the media, especially since she'd been hanging around me a lot, and I was already an expert at knowing when to answer reporters, and knowing when to keep them guessing.

After the interviews were over, Jude and I left for Studio A, because we needed to get ready for next week's tour. I sat next to her, and we went over chord progressions, tempo, and volume. After the good part of an hour, Darius came in, wanting to talk to me.

"Jude, can you give me a minute?" I noticed Darius wasn't in a good mood, and I wanted to save her from it.

"Sure," Jude left without another word.

"Tom, I talked to Georgia, and she agreed with me that Shay should go on tour with Jude. It'd be the music event of the century. Shay can get the crowd going, and can take over when Jude messes up on stage." Darius looked pleased with himself.

"OK, first, where do you get off asking Georgia if Shay can join Jude on her tour? Second, what makes you think that Jude will mess up? And third, what makes you think that I'll let him come on tour with us?" I was livid, but managed to keep it cool.

"Save it, Tommy, there are a lot of things you don't know about, so don't get all up in my face until you do. Second, she's not good enough yet. She hasn't been in front of crowds that much, and that'll get anyone nervous. And third, Jude needs someone her age to hang out with, not her so-much-older producer. Besides, you'd just be a distraction for her, and when she doesn't focus, she won't be half as good as she usually is, which isn't that great to begin with." Darius replied calmly, even though he was beginning to get upset himself.

"We'll just see about that," I promised. I went over to Georgia, with Darius trailing me every step of the way. At the sight of Darius and me together, Georgia froze. "Hi Tom," she began.

"So do you really want to let Shay in on this tour? He's got enough exposure already. And I don't want Jude to be distracted with such a big star in her midst." I was being completely sarcastic, which Georgia could tell.

"It would be good exposure for G-Major," Georgia stated the obvious. "And it would help Jude get used to performing."

"But I can help her with that. I've been through it all, I know what it's like," I insisted. "How about we ask her?"

Darius let out a harsh laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I challenged.

"Like she knows what's good for her. She may be 18, but in this business, she's still just a kid. You want what's best for her? You gotta show her the ropes. Don't let her take control, or she'll ruin her whole career before it even starts. You and Georgia are way too soft on her. If I had my way, I'd be telling her what to do."

I wondered what Darius meant by that, but decided to let it pass. For the moment, at least.

Georgia put in, "Go get Jude, and we'll see what she says." At Darius's look, she added, "I trust her, she always ends up doing what's best for her, with or without our advice."

Minutes later, Jude and I returned. "What was it you wanted to ask me?" She looked at me, Georgia, and Darius, silently asking what he was doing there.

"Darius wants to know when Shay's going to join your tour." I was glad that Georgia, and even Darius, let me break the news to her.

"What?" Jude exclaimed. "I'd never let Shay on my tour. Tommy, definitely, but no Shay. Or I'm out."

"Fine," Darius said, scowling. "But don't come crying to me when your record sales plummet and your songs tank." He walked away, shaking his head at what happened.

As soon as he was gone, Jude turned to Georgia and me, and said mockingly, "Don't worry, they won't." Georgia and I laughed at her imitation of Darius, and pretty soon Jude joined in. Then Georgia got serious again, and told us to come up with some new songs to perform on tour.

"Can I use the one I sang tonight?" Jude asked, hoping Georgia'd let her.

"The one with the hard, edgy sound?" Georgia inquired.

Jude nodded, and Georgia smiled. "I love it. Now get to work." She tossed a pen at Jude as Jude laughed in response. "Georgia, you're the best," she added, as we walked out the door.

"Hey, I thought I was," I teased her.

"You are, but she's really the boss, because when you're impossible, I can just go to her and make you do things that I know you don't want to do." Jude smiled back, knowing she'd gotten the best of me once again.

"Yeah, well, there's one thing I know you don't want to do," I began. Jude looked curious, until her eyes grew wide as she saw what I was getting at. She shrieked as I chased her to back to the recording studio, where Shay happened to be waiting.

"Oh no," Jude saidas I thought the same thing.

AN: What will Shay do next? Will he be going on tour? Will Tommy be going on tour? What's going to happen? Read and review to find out!


	35. Chapter 33

AN: OMG, you guys are awesome! sniffle I can't thank you enough! wiping tears away Without your comments to keep me going, I'd have given up a long time ago. You guys are the best!

Special Note to Readers: I was planning to end this fanfic, but at the last minute decided to continue with it. But my stupid computer didn't save my changes, so I just wanted to let everyone know that I won't be ending it anytime soon. Unless of course I don't get any reviews from people who haven't been reviewing (you know who you are). Do you think this fanfic's too slow? And is that a lot of people aren't reviewing? I really need to know. I don't care if it's flames or whatever, I just need reviews to keep me going. So please review if you care.

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. Did anyone happen to catch the clip of when Jude comes back from tour, sees Jamie and Tommy waiting for her, and kisses Jamie right in front of Tommy? And did it seem like Tommy wasn't jealous, even though he should be? Or maybe it was because Darius has Tommy working so hard that he doesn't have any time for Jude anymore? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, so please, please review. Only 2 more days until Instant Star returns! I wanna see Tommy and Jude get it on already, but since she's with Jamie (grr…), and Tommy doesn't have any time, maybe they'll kick Darius out so Tommy and Jude can hook up? But don't mind my rambling…here's the latest chapter.

Chapter 33:

Jude froze for a second, then tried to run away.

"Jude, wait," Shay called after her, easily catching up with her.

"No," Jude struggled against Shay for a moment, then stopped. Shay hesitated for a second, unsure whether to let her go. Jude seized the opportunity and punched him in the gut, then ran off. Shay bent over, yelling at me to bring her back. I pretended to care, and took off after Jude.

I found Jude where she always was. "Jude, hey," I said, walking through the door to Studio A.

Jude looked up, tears falling steadily down her face. "Why does this always happen? Right when I'm finally happy, someone always goes and screws things up." She bent her head down, trying not to show how hurt she was.

I sat down beside her, putting my arm around her to try and comfort her. "Shh, it's OK. You'll get through this, OK? I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you again." I murmured to her. She broke down, sobbing, and threw her arms around me. I held her for what seemed like hours, until Kwest came by. He glanced in the door, and I gave him a look that said "make sure no one bothers us." Kwest nodded in understanding and went to guard the studio.

After a while, Jude's sobs faded away. She pushed me away, gazing at me for a minute, then slowly replied, "Thanks, Tommy."

"Anytime, girl," I knew Jude would snap out of it. "Wanna write another hit?"

Jude smiled slightly, and said, "You really know how to ruin a perfectly good moment. Is that all you think about?"

"Hmm?" I asked, pretending to be all innocent.

"Come on, Tommy, you know what I mean. That every time Jude gets her heart broken, it's the perfect time to write a song that you can profit off of?" Jude was back to her old self.

"Why not?" I went with it. "If it makes you write hit songs, and it works, then why mess with it?"

Jude groaned and tossed her crumpled up lyrics at me. "You're impossible."

I smiled, and replied cockily, "Is that why you love me?"

Jude smiled, and for a minute I thought she'd agree. "No." Then she started walking away.

"Then why?" I said, grabbing her from behind, and tickling her into submission.

"Stop…" Jude gasped, laughing until I had my fun. "OK, it's because no matter how many times you hurt me, you always make up for it."

I hated what I said next, but knew it was for the best. "And isn't that what Shay's trying to do?"

"What are you saying?" Jude suddenly became serious.

"Jude, you know I love you, and I know you love me. But there's always going to be an age difference, and it doesn't help that I'm your producer. I just think you should go on tour without me. At least until you figure out that you want to be with me for sure, and can handle everything that our relationship would involve: the press, the gossip, the constant speculation…"

"What do you mean, until I figure out who I want to be with? Tommy, it's you, it's always been you, and it'll always be you. And if you're too afraid to express your feelings for me to everyone, then maybe we shouldn't be together." Jude stood up as if to leave, and I already felt my heart breaking into a billion pieces.

"Jude, no. That's not what I meant. I --" I trailed off helplessly as Jude let me have it.

"I know what you meant. And you know what? You're absolutely right. I can't believe I let myself fall for you, especially after you keep hurting me. So do us both a favor, and go be with Sadie, since we both know that's what you really want to do." Jude spat out bitterly, and walked away.

I could only stare helplessly at her as I watched her walk out the door and out of my life again, maybe this time for good.

AN: What will Tommy do next? Will Jude ever forgive him? Will Tommy be going on tour? Will Jude let him? Or will Shay be there to screw things up again?Read and review to find out!


	36. Chapter 34

AN: OMG, I am sooooo, sooooosorry for not posting until now. I hope this will make up for it.

If you think this fanfic's too slow, let me know. Don't just not review, otherwise I won't know how to make it better. I don't care if it's flames or whatever, I just need reviews to keep me going. So please review, OK?

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I loved the episode that came out on Friday, and I think this coming Friday's the episode where Jude pushes Tommy into the fountain. I wonder what he said to make her do that...? I'm so glad that Tommy broke up with Sadie…she was being a little too selfish wanting Tommy all the time, and not even letting him work. Tommy and Jude have to get it on already, but Jude needs to break up with Jamie first. Does anyone know if Kat's coming back this season? OK, don't mind my rambling…Here's the latest chapter.

Chapter 34:

I knew Jude would talk to Georgia to try and get me off her tour, so I made my way towards Georgia's office. When I got there, I knocked on the door. Georgia didn't call out her usual, "What?", so I put my ear to the door. I heard murmuring between Georgia and someone else, and strained to listen to what was being said.

"Look, Georgia, G Major needs to go big-time, and that's where I come in. It's a win-win situation for both of us," Darius insisted.

"I don't know, Darius. I need time to think. I built G Major from the ground up, and I'm not sure if I could just give it up and let someone else take over from here. Can I get back to you in a couple days?" Georgia asked.

"OK, but I'd be surprised if G Major's still standing when I get back. Call me when you make up your mind." I ran away, then slowly walked back as Darius left Georgia's office.

"Tom, long time no see." Darius nodded.

"Yeah, Darius. How're things?" I asked, hoping to appear clueless.

"Right now? Things are looking up," Darius smiled, and walked away. What was that supposed to mean? I decided to find out.

"Hey Georgia," I knocked on Georgia's office door, even though it was open. "What's Darius doing here?"

"Nothing," Georgia said, a little too quickly. I knew something was up, but had more important matters to discuss. "What'd you want to see me about?"

"It's Jude…" I managed to get out, before Georgia nodded in understanding.

"Let me guess, you said something, Jude's mad at you, and you're wondering if you're going on tour with her…" Georgia replied, smirking.

"Did she tell you that?" I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"No, but I know you two well enough by now to know something's wrong." Georgia said. "And whatever it is, it'll have to wait, because Jude's tour got pushed up even further."

"When's she leaving, and am I going or not?" I demanded to know.

"She's leaving in a couple days, and until then, I want you guys to stay away from one another. The last thing Jude needs is to get even more distracted. She has a tour to prepare for, and just in case you decide to go and see her, I especially arranged it so that you'll have some other projects to keep you busy." At my pained expression, Georgia smiled, reading my thoughts exactly. "Don't worry, Kwest's going with her. She's in good hands. Maybe it's good that you have some time apart to cool off and think."

"Whatever you say, chief," I knew I couldn't argue with her. Just then, the phone rang, and I left Georgia to speak in private.

I went to look for Kwest, and found him where I least expected him to be: in the lounge. "Kwest, man. I need to talk to you about something," I sat down across from him.

"OK, shoot. Dr. Kwest is in the house," Kwest joked, but I wasn't in the mood for it.

"It's Jude. We talked, I said some things, she's mad, and she's leaving on tour without me in a couple days…" I burst out, surprised when Kwest nodded.

"Yeah, I know," Kwest said.

"And you didn't tell me? I'm your best friend," I was beginning to get a little, OK, a lot, upset.

"Chill, dude, I got it. While we're gone, I'll talk to Jude and see if I can't get her to forgive you. In the meantime, think about what you want to say to her, then let me know, so that I can tell whether it'll go over well or not. I know you guys, and the both of you always manage to screw things up with one another."

"OK, tell me something I don't know." I was annoyed now.

"Uh--" Kwest mumbled something under his breath.

"What did you say?" I wondered.

"Jamie's coming with us."

"What? You mean, Jude's best friend, the guy who's always had a hopeless crush on her gets to go, but I don't?" Now I was livid.

"Whoa, man, don't worry about it. I'll make sure nothing happens, OK?" Kwest tried to smooth things over, but it didn't help much.

"It better not." I was still upset, but knew Kwest would keep his promise.

Just then, Jude breezed by. "Hey, Kwest, I have a new song I've been working on, and I think it'll be a hit. Wanna hear it?" She completely ignored me.

Kwest glanced at me, shrugging his shoulders. "Sure, let's see what you got." He followed Jude back to the studio, leaving me alone to brood.


	37. Chapter 35

AN: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you're not too bored with this chapter.

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. Tommy's got himself in trouble again with the Harrison sisters, and I wonder what will happen. I also wonder whether Jude really does get released from her recording contract, and whether Jamie becomes her producer. I heard somewhere that he becomes more involved in the music industry…so does he end up managing Jude? And I can't wait to see Jude push Tommy into the fountain. I watch it over and over on my tape, it's just too funny for words! I love that Tommy broke up with Sadie…she was being a little too selfish wanting Tommy to herself all the time, and not even letting him work when he had to. I think Sadie's the one who needs to grow up, not Jude (like Tommy said). I wish Tommy and Jude would get it on already. Does anyone know if Kat's coming back this season? OK, please excuse my rambling…Here's the latest chapter.

Chapter 35:

The next few days were hell. Jude avoided me the whole time, and was recording before I got in, and was still recording when I left. I asked Kwest how she was doing, but it was always the same response. . .just great. On the day she left, a part of me went with her.

Over the next few weeks, life was the same old routine, get up, eat/shower, go to work, go home, sleep. Georgia noticed how affected I was, and called me in.

"Tommy, you look like crap," Georgia stated the obvious.

"Yeah? Well, guess how I feel?" I shot back, hating the fact that I missed Jude like crazy.

"No one cares, Tom," Darius strode in as if he owned the place. I glanced at him and said, "Darius. What are you doing here?"

"He's here on business," Georgia interrupted, before Darius could answer. I noticed he was smirking as if he knew something I didn't. And Georgia looked tired, as if she'd been through a lot lately.

"What kind of business, exactly?" I pried.

"Now isn't the time, Tommy," Georgia said wearily, and sighed. "Look, Darius and I have to discuss something, and your new artist should be coming in soon."

"OK," I gave in, and left them to their discussion.

I headed over to Studio B, where I usually start artists off in. Then, if they're good, I move them into Studio A. If they're OK, I keep them in Studio B. But if they're absolutely horrible and have no chance of making it big, then they go to Studio C until I can persuade Georgia that she's wasting her money on them.

Minutes later, I heard a knock. I figured it was the new artist. "Come in," I said, not looking up from my notes. The door opened, and I was so immersed in listening to the audio that Georgia gave me that the person had to tap my shoulder to get my attention.

"So you're little Tommy Q." The girl who stood before me resembled Jude in almost every way, except she was dressed completely in black, black halter, black leather jacket, black mini, black shoes. She had a sneer on her face, the complete opposite of the usual smirk Jude was famous for. She had long blonde hair, and blue eyes that were so cold that they seemed to penetrate into your thoughts. I knew the type well.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I smiled cockily, and extended my hand in greeting. "And you are…?"

"Kate," the girl looked disdainfully at my outstretched hand as though it were diseased.

"So…let's hear what you got." I wasted no time in getting to work. I put in the demo tape that Georgia had given me from the competition, and waited for her to start. After a few bars, she walked over and shut it off.

"OK, first things first. We go by my rules, not yours. I sing what I want to sing, not a bunch of corporate crap that you try and make me sing. I write my own songs, not some cheesy pop song that you think would take the world by storm. Got a problem with that?" Kate paused, daring me to challenge her.

"Yeah, actually I do. Since you're the artist, and I'm the producer, I call the shots, not you. And you do what I tell you, or I can get you fired so fast it'll make your head spin. Clear?" I thought I sounded pretty threatening, but Kate merely shrugged and laughed it off.

"Sure, whatever you say," Kate was mocking me now. She bent her head closer to mine. "But just so we're clear, you don't own me. And you're sure as hell not my manager, so there's no way that you can tell me what or what not to do. I do what I want, whenever I want, wherever I want." She looked smug now, confident that she'd gotten the better of me.

"That's what you think, little girl." I didn't bother to hide my contempt, and wasn't surprised when she let out a snort of disgust. "Just sing, alright? You're wasting my time, as well as yours. If you don't want to be here, then leave."

"Fine," Kate replied smoothly. For a moment, I thought she'd stay and behave, like Jude eventually fell into the habit of doing. "I'm outta here." She picked up her bag and left without a backward glance. I was stunned. Jude would never do that. Sure she hated me, but she'd never been so cold to anyone, had she?

Minutes later, Georgia came in. "Was that Kate I saw leaving?" Georgia looked confused. "I thought I told her to work with you."

"Yeah, it was, and yeah, you did. But what you didn't know was that she 'does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, wherever she wants'." I rattled off what she'd said to me moments before.

Georgia merely raised her eyebrows, and said, "Looks we got a meaner Jude on our hands, but I know you'll get her to work. She'll be putty in your hands in no time at all." She walked over to the door as if to leave, then paused. "Just flash her one of your heart-stopping smiles, and she'll turn into one of your most devoted fans faster than Jude gets back."

"Yeah, right," I muttered under my breath. I knew I could handle Jude, but two of them? At the same time? I was in way over my head now.

AN: Poor Tommy. What's a guy to do in this situation? And what will Jude do when she gets back? Read and review to find out!


	38. NEW STORY TITLE!

AN: OK, so I know this isn't a new chapter (but I will post something later today). I just found out that someone else had a story entitled the same as mine, so I had to change the title (otherwise it'd be confusing). So now the title is So Much For My Happy Ending (what can I say? I just love Avril's songs. And Jude seems to be just like her, since she asked in one of the episodes what Shay thought about her songs, and Shay says, "It's Avril meets more Avril.") More later!


	39. Chapter 36

AN: Thanks for reviewing! OK, here's a little bit of a spoiler, but Kate will be playing a bigger role later on in the story.

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I loved how Tommy just dumped Sadie when she made him decide if he wanted to be with her while he was busy working. And I loved how Kwest was so sweet to Sadie when she was about to cry. I wonder if the writers will make Kwest like Sadie. I wish Tommy and Jude would get it on already. I also wish Kat would come back, but I don't think she is, considering they have Portia, the new guy, and Darius. OK, here you go. Rip it to shreds if you must.

Chapter 36:

For the next couple weeks, it was the same old story. I'd be at the studio, and Kate would breeze in whenever she wanted. I tried talking to Georgia about her, but she was always having meetings with E.J. and Darius. Then one day, I came in, and decided to have it out with Georgia over letting Kate go. I knocked on Georgia's office, and was surprised to hear Darius bark, "What?" Not one to back down, I opened the door, and was shocked to see how different the office looked. The way I remembered it, it was typical Georgia. All practical and organized, with your basic office desk, chairs, and matching sofa. This office had gold all over it, with awards hanging on the walls, leather chairs, an executive solid oak desk, and an expensive-looking sofa. It was definitely how Darius would have wanted it.

Darius smiled as I walked in. "How do you like my new office?" he gloated, extending his hand toward the rest of the room.

"Where's Georgia?" I wanted to know.

"She won't be working here anymore, now that I've taken over," Darius continued to smile.

"Taken over? You mean…" I was afraid to say what I thought he meant.

"Yeah, I'm now the head of G Major." Darius laughed as I looked stunned. "Don't worry, you'll still get to see Georgia and E.J., but only at the staff Christmas party. If I remember to invite them."

"So who's going to handle Jude's contract?" I wondered, knowing E.J. had been in charge of taking care of Jude's every need.

"Who else? I will, of course," Darius looked at me as if I had two heads. "And Portia will take over for E.J."

"Portia?" The name continued to haunt me. I'd married Portia when we were 18, and I was still in Boyz Attack. At the time, we were young and stupid, it was on the spur of the moment, and over within a month. And Darius had never forgiven me for it. I'm not sure Portia had either.

"Yeah, you'll be working with her a lot more, now that Georgia and E.J. are gone," Darius continued, as if I hadn't responded at all. "You and Portia can discuss what look goes best with Jude's sound. I've come up with a few songs for Jude to sing, and I'm sure what I told Portia to prepare for Jude's press conferences will work well with her new sound."

I knew it was only a matter of time before Darius took over. So that's what all the meetings were about. Georgia had been struggling to keep G Major afloat, while Darius breezed in and tried to ruin everything. Again. Back before I hit it big with Boyz Attack, he made me do taco commercials, and said it was good exposure. At the time, I didn't know any better, but I'd be damned if I let him do that to Jude.

"Look, Darius, what about letting Jude write her own songs?" I silently hoped he'd go along with it, even though I knew better.

"Have you heard what she's written lately? I mean, she's good, but her songs will only take her so far. She needs to reinvent herself if she wants to stay on top of the music industry. And especially since she's my newest artist, she'll definitely have to prove that she has what it takes to be the best." Darius paused for a second, knowing exactly where I was coming from. "With your help, I know she'll make it. And if she gives you any trouble, just do what I would do. Lock up the record, and move on to another one." He was referring to my unfinished single, Frozen, that he thought wasn't good enough to be released to the public. I thought otherwise, but that's another story. "Speaking of which, don't you have to work with Kate right about now?"

"Yeah, but I don't think she'll be here." I cringed, waiting for Darius's response.

"Why not? You're the producer, so produce. Show her who's boss, and she'll never forget it." Darius sighed, clearly annoyed.

"I did, but she doesn't seem to get it. I tell her something, and she does the opposite." I was worried about what Darius would say next.

"Then tell her that if she doesn't do what you say, then she's fired. You have my permission to get rid of her. She works for you, and if she doesn't like it, she can talk it over with me."

"You got it, D," I said, walking out before Darius could grab me and put me in a studio with Kate. I got to Studio B, where I had met with Kate before, and was surprised to see her there.

"Kate, actually on time today," I said, glancing down at my watch. "What happened?"

"I just felt like it, that's all." I could see she didn't care when people told her to do things. She just did them whenever and wherever she wanted.

"OK, so what do you want to do?" I asked, taking a different approach this time.

"What's with you?" Kate looked confused.

"What do you mean?" I said defensively.

"Ever since I got here, you're always asking my opinion about stuff. I always figured you for the bossy type, being an ex-boyband member and all." Kate confessed.

"I don't want you to think I'm bossy," I replied, which was partially true. "I just want you to do your best, that's all. And if I have to be a little tough to do it, then I will."

"Wow, that's a first." Kate seemed shocked. "OK, then. Since I'm here, I'll work on the song I sang for the competition." Kate got out her music, and I pulled out the demo tape of her performance.

The music played, and Kate started singing. She sounded similar to Jude, all angst and misery coming from her voice. The only difference was that she had a lighter tone, and it didn't exactly match the song she'd chosen.

"Kate, that's really good." I stopped her by pausing the tape. "Do you think there's something missing from the song?" I tried to make her discover her own problem.

"I don't know. Isn't that what you're here for? To tell me what needs to be changed?" Kate turned it back on me.

"That depends. Do you want to hear it from me, or do you want to figure it out for yourself?"

"I don't care, I'll figure it out on my own, since you're having so much trouble deciding what to do with me," Kate smiled, and put on the headphones so she could listen more closely. She paused and rewound several times before she finally took them off. "It's my voice, isn't it?"

I didn't want to make her put up a front again, so I patiently waited for her to realize it.

"Yeah, it's gotta be my voice. The song is a sad one, lots of angst and it's about losing something close to you, but I don't think I'm putting enough power into it, it needs more. Is that right?" Kate smiled genuinely this time, knowing she'd finally understood what I was getting at.

"Yeah," I was surprised. It'd taken me forever for Jude to learn how to do that, and this girl got it within two sessions. "That's great,you found out what the problem was. Jude took forever to figure it out."

Kate glanced up. "Who's Jude?"

"She's my other artist, but she's on tour right now." I didn't want to say too much more, but I guess it was written all over my face.

Kate looked closely at me. "So, are you more than just a producer to her?"

"You could say that. Jude and I understand one another, but she was just like you when she first started." I couldn't help myself.

"Like me? What do you mean?" Kate put her hands on her hips, feigning offense.

"You know, all moody and difficult to work with."

"You're one to talk, Tommy," Kate shot back. "You're worse than I am, since you used to be in a boyband."

"Really? At least I'm not all PMS 24/7 like you are."

"What? You did not just say that," Kate said, glaring at me. "OK, now you're in for it." She pushed me out of the chair, and I landed hard on the floor.

"Ow! What was that for?" I said, rubbing my backside.

"For insulting me. God, how stupid can you be?" I waited for a second, then pushed her off the chair that she'd taken after she'd dumped me on the floor. "Hey!" I got back in my chair, king of the studio once again.

I didn't see her come up from behind and slide the chair out from under me. "OK, that does it. Kate, you're toast." I rose up to grab her around her middle, and she laughed asI pulled her down with me.

She landed on me andI froze. I continued gazing into her eyes, until the doors burst openandSadie stood there, seething with anger.

"So, Tommy, is she the reason Jude called me, crying hysterically for over 2 hours?" Sadie pointed at Kate, disgust etched on every part of her face.

"Kate,would you excuse us fora minute?" I replied wearily.

"Sure, Tommy," Kate got up andmade a beeline for the door.

I braced myself, knowing that the storm was about to hit.

AN: Poor Tommy, caught in the middle again. How will Sadie react? Will Kate continue to be all confrontational? What will Jude do when she gets back? Will Kwest try to help? Read and review to find out!


	40. Chapter 37

AN: Sorry for the delay, but I couldn't come up with anything good. The following is what I managed to get out (like the other copies I'd written but ended up deleting). Thanks for those of you who bothered to review!

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I wish that Tommy + Sadie hadn't gotten back together so quickly, but liked how Tommy told Jude that he really missed her when she was on tour. Too bad she fell asleep though, but I'd be just as tired as Jude was – no sleep for 68 hours? I can't believe she lasted that long. I also wondered what was up with Portia holding Tommy's hand? Any theories? I wonder if she still likes him, even though they split up. Can't wait for the next episode, where Jude goes to jail for underage drinking. I wonder who'll bail her out this time? Here you go, rip it to shreds if you have to!

Chapter 37:

"Sadie, let me explain," I mumbled weakly.

"No, Tommy, I've heard enough of your explaining," Sadie crossed over and shut the door so that no one could overhear us. "I tried to comfort Jude, since she was homesick, and do you know what she told me? That you," she spat out angrily, jabbing me in the chest with her finger, "did it again and broke her heart just before she left." She paused, trying to regain her composure. "Let me guess, is that girl the reason why?"

"No, Sadie, you've got it all wrong. It's not Kate, it's me. I told Jude I wanted her to be with someone her own age, someone who wouldn't hurt her as much as I could." I admitted, regretting every word.

"Why? You know how much Jude loves you. And you say you love her so much, but if you do, then how could you do this to her?" Sadie asked, still not understanding.

"Because the guy I think she should give a chance to loves her almost as much as I do."

"What! No way! Tommy, you can't let Jude go like that. You know no one can come between you guys, you may break each other's hearts every so often, but in the end, you choose each other every time. Don't let her get away, and don't let some guy steal what you and Jude have."

"Why not? Jude's mad at me anyway, so why not let some guy have a chance with her?" I didn't know what I could do to help the situation at the moment. Jude was on tour and I knew she wouldn't forgive me anytime soon, and I was stuck here working with Kate and any other artists Darius would eventually throw at me, and I was beginning to realize that even if she did come back, I wouldn't have much time to spend with her outside of work.

"Fine, Tommy, do whatever you want, but just remember this: if you let Jude slip away, then one day, she may never come back." Sadie warned, then left. I shook my head, vowing never to let that happen.

I walked back to the studio, not really thinking about what I needed to do that day. I was lost in my own thoughts of all the times Jude and I spent together at the studio. One was the time that Jude was helping me get some equipment from storage, and she lost her balance and fell, and I was right there to catch her. Another time was when I realized that Jude was the only woman for me, and I was too blind to see it, because I wanted to protect her reputation as much as mine from the press and G Major. And then there was the time that I'd kissed her, then made her promise that it never happened. So many memories, some good, some bad. And here was another one to add to that list. Was I going to let Jude get away this time? I had to do something, and fast.

I called Darius. "Listen, Darius, I need to go out of town on some business," I lied.

"Yeah, right," Darius laughed. "I know you, Tom. Whatever it is, do it on your own time, not mine. And if this causes you to miss even one second of work…"

"Yeah, I know, then it's not worth it." I knew Darius inside and out, and knew that it was only true for everyone except him. He could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, because he owned everything and everyone, and no one wanted to be around when things didn't go exactly as he'd wanted. "I get it, loud and clear."

"Good, now if you'll excuse me, some of us need to get back to work, and I mean, real work," Darius hinted, and I hung up quickly. What was I going to do? I had to see Jude, and I was stuck here.

Kate walked in just then, and was curious to see what was up. "Hey, Tommy," she said, "What was that all about?"

I didn't want her to know, so I said, "It's nothing." Then an idea came to me. "Kate, you want to go on a road trip?"

"Why?" Kate wondered, looking perplexed.

"Let's just say you needed some inspiration, and you needed to get away from G Major for awhile. Think Darius will buy it?" I knew he wouldn't, but maybe if Kate told him, then he would. He was always partial to blondes, especially ones who looked as good as Kate. Wait, what was I thinking? I'm with Jude, I repeated silently to myself. I looked at her, waiting for her response.

"How should I know? I don't know him as well as you do. Weren't you one of his protégés or something?"

"Yeah, he was my manager a few years back, but that's beside the point. So will you ask him? He won't believe me, but he might believe you. Just be as sweet as you can possibly be, and hope that he believes you."

"OK, but what about you? Aren't you the one who's trying to get away for awhile, so you can make up with Jude?" Kate knew.

"What exactly did you hear?" I was dreading what she'd say next.

"Just enough, so here's the deal. I'll do what you want so that you can go see Jude, but you so owe me." Kate smiled smugly.

"What do you want?" I knew I'd regret it, but I had no choice.

"Complete control," Kate said simply, knowing she'd beaten me at my own game once again.

AN: What does Kate mean? And what will Jude say to Tommy once he finds her? And will Kwest help, or stay out of it? Read and review to find out!


	41. Chapter 38

AN: OMG, I am sooooo sorry for the delay. I'm in this statistics class that I can't drop out of, and it's like a whole different language. So is anyone good at statistics? You don't have to like it, just bedecent at it. Because I'm as good at it as Jude is at math. Any help would be appreciated.

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I wish that Tommy + Sadie hadn't gotten back together so quickly, but liked how Tommy told Jude that he really missed her when she was on tour. Too bad she fell asleep though, but I'd be just as tired as Jude was – no sleep for 68 hours? I can't believe she lasted that long. I also wondered what was up with Portia holding Tommy's hand? Any theories? I can't wait for the next episode, where Jude goes to jail for underage drinking (at least that's what it looks like). I wonder who'll bail her out this time? OK, here's the latest. R &R if you so desire.

Chapter 38:

I went to talk to Darius, and surprisingly, he approved. When I asked why, he said she was way better than Jude, had crowd and sex appeal to match, and that she listened to whatever Darius told her to do, unlike Jude, who was always screwing around and was never serious about her music. According to Darius, Kate was a serious musician who could handle anything thrown her way, whereas Jude was just a kid, nowhere ready to survive in the music business. I laughed inwardly, knowing he had it all wrong, but kept it to myself anyway. He also said that we'd better hurry, since he wanted to see at least 5 songs written by the time we got back. He gave us a week to do it, which meant I had exactly one week to make it up to Jude. That is, if I could get her to listen. Since I was going to be busy trying to get Jude back, it meant that Kate was on her own to write whatever she wanted. I hoped she'd come up with something good like she usually did.

On the day that we left, I had found out where Jude was staying from Darius, since Shay was on the tour also. I quickly called Kwest to assess the situation. On the third ring, Kwest answered.

"Hey, man," Kwest knew it was me. "What took you so long?"

"Listen, Kwest," I was hoping Jude wasn't around. "is everything OK?"

Kwest knew what I was saying. "Yeah, it's all under control. Jude and Shay are not together, but they are as close as they were before."

"Great, so I was planning to come see her. What do you think?" I could've cared less, but Kwest always knew what to do.

"I think you should wait. It's too soon," Kwest said, giving it to me straight. "Anyway, are you with Kate?"

"Don't listen to Sadie, she jumps to conclusions," I said without thinking.

"Hey! That's my girl you're talking about," Kwest reminded me. I'd forgotten.

"I'll stop if she does," I wouldn't let her get to me.

"She's just looking out for Jude, that's all." Kwest was oblivious to Sadie's actions.

"Fine, whatever, I want to see Jude, and I need you to pretend like you don't know anything. Got it?" I prompted.

"Don't know anything," Kwest droned on. "But don't yell at me for not warning you ahead of time. All I gotta say is: WWIII's coming, and it ain't gonna be pretty."

"If you can keep Shay distracted for a few hours, I know I can get to Jude," I said confidently, even though I was unsure how she'd react.

"If you say so," Kwest didn't believe me, and I don't think I believed it either. "I gotta go. Jude's calling me to start rehearsing."

"'K man, I'll see you later," I said. Kwest said his goodbye, and hung up.

Hours later:

Kate and I got to the hotel that Jude, Kwest, Shay, and E.J. were staying at. I went up to the receptionist, and asked for Jude's room number.

"Oh my god, you're Tommy Q," the young woman at the front desk squealed. She was about Sadie's age, and was obviously a huge Boyz Attack fan. "Can I get your autograph?" I quickly scribbled my name on a sheet of paper, along with a short message, and the receptionist could only gape in response.

"Uh, what's Jude's room number again?" I asked politely, trying to hide my amusement. The receptionist finally snapped out of it, and said, "Usually we don't give that information out to just anyone, but since it's you…" She winked at me, and as I continued staring at her, she said, pointing, "It's room 516. Just take the elevator, and it's around the corner on your right."

"Thanks," I said, giving her a typical Tommy Q smile. As expected, she melted and sighed happily. Kate rolled her eyes, and as soon as we were out of range, she muttered, "Is every girl you see like that?"

"Like what?" I played along, knowing perfectly well what she meant.

"Some completely stupid girl who falls for you at first sight," Kate stared at me, thinking I was completely ignorant. I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine.

"Since you put it that way, yeah," I smirked as Kate groaned and pretended to barf. "Listen, I gotta do something before I go see Jude. Do you want to stay here, or do you want to come with me?"

"Are those my only two choices?" Kate complained again, opting to come with me. "I guess I'll stay here and get to work, before Darius chews me out for slacking. Where are you going?"

"You'll see," I said, telling her to look for Kwest, who would help her to find the right sound while I was gone. Then I left her alone to jot her ideas down.

AN: What's Tommy up to? R &R to find out! If you have any ideas, let me know, and I'll use them. The more you review, the faster I'll post.


	42. Chapter 39

AN: Did anyone notice this past episode where Liam keeps trying to kick Jude out of G Major? And in the preview of next week's episode, he makes her take off for a few months? Why doesn't he like Jude (since Darius seems to give her more chances). And Victoria with her divorce lawyer? OK, now back to the drama.

Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I can't wait to see Jude's new place. I wonder if Tommy will come and visit her

(hehe).

Chapter 39:

After I'd picked up the stuff I was going to get, I went up to Jude's private suite to get everything ready. I had just finished putting the finishing touches on it when I heard someone at the door. Thinking it was the cleaning lady, I hid behind the couch in the sitting room. Then I realized that there were two people talking.

"Thanks for letting me in," Eden gushed.

"No problem, we get people who lose their keys all the time," the cleaning woman said.

Eden told her to give her a half hour, then she could come in. The cleaning woman nodded, and went to look at the room next door.

Thinking she was alone, Eden murmured aloud, "Wow, sobby, broody Jude does have some taste." She whipped out her cell and dialed a few numbers. "Hey, Kate, it's me…"

Kate? I wondered if she was referring to Kate, as in the Kate who came here with me. I strained to listen to what she was saying.

"Can you believe I'm actually here in Jude's room of all places? Now, if I can just get my hands on her newest demo, we'll be all set. Then you can beat her on the charts just like I did. Later, 'coz." So that's what she was after. I didn't want to reveal my hiding place, so I waited for her to search all over. My mind raced as to how to tell Jude the news. Then I remembered she wasn't speaking to me. But maybe Kwest could get through to her.

"Got it," Eden announced after 20 minutes of turning Jude's suite upside down. "Sorry, punk princess, you're just going to have to try harder to beat me. Looks like anything you come up with now won't even come close." She tucked the disc into her pocket, patted it gingerly, and made her way to the door. Noticing that the cleaning lady was waiting outside, she stopped long enough to bark out, "Make sure this place looks exactly like you found it. If I find out anything's missing, I'll make sure to tell the front desk." Glancing at the cleaning lady's nametag, she said, "Elena. Nice name. I'll have to remember it." Eden smirked.

The cleaning lady gulped as Eden left.

Satisfied, Eden brushed past her with a triumphant smile on her face.

I waited until the cleaning lady started on the bathroom, then made my exit. Once outside, I tried to look like I was on my way to my room, and called Kwest.

"Hey," Kwest answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Kwest, I don't have much time. Eden stole Jude's demo from her room, and Kate's working with Eden, her cousin, to sabotage Jude's career." I said it as fast as I could, hoping to lessen the effect that would soon follow.

"What? Whoa, slow down. Eden did what?" Kwest was way slow on the uptake.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? Eden stole Jude's demo and is planning to pass it off as her own." I hated repeating myself.

"And how does Kate fit into this?" Kwest was completely clueless.

"Why bother?" I shook my head in annoyance, but continued. "Kate's Eden's cousin, and she's pretending to be all helpful. I knew it was just a front." I thought back to when I'd first met Kate, and couldn't believe how blind I was to why Kate was a rebel one second, then as meek as a lamb the next.

"And why are you telling me all this?" Kwest prodded.

"Dude, you know why. Jude won't even look at me, so why would she listen to anything I said? You're my only hope, man." I tried to make my voice sound convincing.

"On one condition," Kwest added gleefully. He loved watching me squirm my way out of a tough situation.

"What?" I wondered, knowing I was going to regret whatever Kwest had planned.

"I get to drive your Viper for 2 weeks." Kwest knew he had me.

"No way, forget it," I said, knowing he wouldn't let me off that easy. "That's too much. No one drives my Viper."

"Yeah, right, no one except Jude. And I'm supposed to be your best friend," Kwest played the guilt card.

"OK, what if I let you be in charge of producing Jude? I promise I won't interfere." I suggested, knowing Kwest hated working under someone's supervision.

"Fine, then I'll just let it slip to Jude that you're here, in her room, and that you're dying to make up with her." I could see Kwest smiling broadly now. I hated it when he turned the tables on me.

"You wouldn't," I was incredulous.

"Try me," Kwest challenged.

"Dude, you've been with Sadie too long," I grumbled.

"What? You can take it from the Harrison sisters, but you can't take it from your best friend?" Kwest teased.

"You mean, my soon to be ex-best friend. That is, if you don't shut it already." I was mildly peeved, but know I could never get really upset at Kwest. We'd been through too much together.

"OK, OK, I promise, I'll tell Jude about Eden, alright?" Kwest hesitated, then added, "But I still get to drive your Viper, right?" Kwest laughed as I hung up on him.

How would I ever get Jude to forgive me now? I wondered silently. First I break her heart, then I let her nemesis walk away with her demo? And with help from someone who was right under my nose, and who I let get away with it?

Inspiration struck just then, and I scrambled to find a piece of paper and a pen, as words came flowing out faster than I could write them. A half hour later, and with words crossed out, erased, and replaced with new ones, it was finally finished. The question was, how would my audience react?

AN: I hope you liked this. There's plenty more drama coming up, so stay tuned! Please r & r! This lets me know that you like it and want me to continue. Thanks for all the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!


	43. Chapter 40

AN: Did anyone notice this past episode where Liam keeps trying to kick Jude out of G Major? And in the preview of next week's episode, he makes her take off for a few months? Does this mean the end of Jude as the Instant Star? And I can't believe Victoria would date her divorce lawyer. That's just as bad as Stuart cheating on her with Yvette. But enough already, now back to the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Drive Myself Crazy (by NSYNC). I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I can't wait to see Jude's new place. I wonder if Tommy will come and visit her (hehe). Maybe that's where they gaze into each other's eyes, and Tommy plays with Jude's hair. But that's just a guess, anyone know for sure?

Chapter 40:

I went to go find Kwest, who was busy taking down the equipment now that Jude had finished her session. "Wait, Kwest, I wanted to run this by you. Let me know what you think, OK?"

"Do I ever not?" Kwest shook his head, smiling. "Let's see what you got."

I sat in Jude's now vacant seat, and waited for Kwest to signal that he was ready. Then I started singing, pouring my heart into it.

ooooh...  
Lying in your arms  
So close together  
Didn't know just what I had  
Now I toss and turn  
Cause I'm without you  
How I'm missing you so bad  
Where was my head?  
Where was my heart?  
Now I cry alone in the dark  
I lie awake  
I drive myself crazy  
Drive myself crazy  
Thinking of you  
Made a mistake  
When I let you go baby  
I drive myself crazy  
Wanting you the way that I do (wanting you the way that I do)

I was such a fool  
I couldn't see it  
Just how good you were to me (Just how good you were to me)

You confessed your love ( You confessed your love)  
Undying devotion  
I confessed my need to be free  
And now I'm left  
With all this pain  
I've only got myself to blame

I lie awake  
I drive myself crazy  
Drive myself crazy  
Thinking of you  
Made a mistake  
When I let you go baby  
I drive myself crazy  
Wanting you the way that I do (wanting you the way that I do)

Why didn't I know it  
(How much I loved you baby)  
Why couldn't show it  
(If I had only told you)  
When I had the chance  
Oh I had the chance

oohhhhhh...la la la la la la  
I drive myself crazy'  
ahhh..oh so crazy  
lalalalala...oh oh oh oh  
I lie awake  
I drive myself crazy  
Drive myself crazy  
Thinking of you  
Made a mistake (made a mistake)  
Let you go baby  
I drive myself crazy  
Wanting you the way that I do

I lie awake  
I drive myself crazy (I drive myself crazy, crazy, crazy...yeah)  
Drive myself crazy  
Made a mistake  
Let you go baby  
I drive myself crazy  
Wanting you the way that I do  
I drive myself crazy  
wanting you the way that I do

As my voice faded back into silence, I looked at Kwest to see his reaction. All I saw was Kwest sitting there, mouth wide open. I guessed and said, "Think that's any good?" I noticed Kwest's glassy stare and waved my hand in front of his face. "Kwest, man, you in there? Hello?" Then I grabbed him and shook him. Kwest came to, and blurted out, "What? Oh, sorry man, just…that was incredible. You really should put it down on record."

"No, I don't want this to come out. This is all mine, and I don't want anyone to know about it. At least, not just anyone."

I heard a voice clear behind me, and I turned around to see who it was.

Jude stood there, anger clearly shown throughout her body. Her eyes were blazing, and she stood defiantly as if to challenge my right to be in the same room with her.

"Let me guess, you wrote that for Kate?" Jude spit out, visibly upset.

"How'd you know about Kate?" I blurted out, surprised. Jude just glared and tried to walk away. "Jude, wait. That song, I wrote it for you. I mean, I wrote it because I'm sorry for hurting you all the time and always making up excuses about how we can't be together because I'd lose my job as your producer and I'd end up in jail. I really want to be with you, but –" I trailed off as Jude interrupted me.

"But what, Quincy?" Jude was sneering at me now. "I'm too young, I'm not mature enough for you, you're my producer, you'd get in trouble? Is that all you can say? I've heard all your excuses, and I don't care anymore. If you don't want to be with me, just say it. Don't give me any more excuses, 'cuz I've heard enough of them." She started to walk away again, and I grabbed her arm, knowing this was probably the last chance I'd get to make things right.

Instinctively, Jude whirled around and slapped me. Hard. I felt the sting in my cheek, and knew that it was nowhere near the pain I'd caused her in the past. I looked into her eyes, trying to show her just how much I was sorry. But before me was not the same Jude I used to produce. Instead of drowning in her deep blue eyes, her eyes were an intense shade of blue, piercing me with imaginary daggers that were full of anger and hatred. She turned around again, and walked out, calling to Kwest, "When I get back, I want you to produce me." She didn't wait for a response.

I turned to Kwest, who had been watching the whole thing, and he just shrugged to say he didn't have anything to do with her decision. I tore up my lyrics in despair, and walked out, knowing my last chance with Jude was gone.

AN: OK, I know this chapter ended on a sad note, but Jude will get over it in time. Lots and lots of time. Or will she forgive Tommy sooner than you think? There's plenty more drama coming up, so stay tuned! Please r & r! And thanks for all the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!


	44. Chapter 41

AN: Did anyone see how Tommy was trying to comfort Sadie and said, "Aww" after she said she couldn't handle someone trying to steal Tommy away from her? I thought that was so cute, but it'd be even better if it were Jude instead of Sadie. But enough already, now back to the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I can't wait to see Jude's new place. I wonder if Tommy will come and visit her (hehe). Maybe that's where they gaze into each other's eyes, and Tommy plays with Jude's hair. But that's just a guess - anyone know for sure?

Chapter 41:

The next few days, I was in my own world. I drank heavily to drown my sadness at what had happened, passed out, and awoke to drink again, despite my killer hangovers. I had no desire to go to work, and left the phone off the hook whenever Kwest or Darius called, demanding to know why I wasn't at the studio. I didn't feel like talking, or doing much of anything after what had happened.

One day, Kwest came over. He pounded on the door, shouting "Tommy, I know you're in there, so let me in."

I ignored him at first, then swore as Kwest's calls and the pounding at the door rang in my head.

"Go away," I yelled. "Just leave me alone."

"Fine, but you know something? Jude's with me." I peered out the window to see if Kwest was lying. I couldn't see him or Jude, and the only way I could find out if he was telling the truth was to open the door. I sighed, and relented.

"Thought that'd work," Kwest grinned as he came in. "Man, you look awful."

"Don't remind me," I growled. "What's going on at the studio?" I was dying to hear how Jude was, but Kwest didn't bring it up.

"Darius is having a conniption. He says if you're not going to come in today, he's firing you. I know you're upset about Jude, but I don't think she's worth losing your job over." Kwest didn't know how I felt, so I decided to explain it to him.

"Really? Because if Sadie did that to you, you wouldn't end up like I am now?" I had him there.

"OK, OK, I get it." Kwest smiled, and said, "But really, how're you holding up?"

"I can't be without her, Kwest. I don't want to go to the studio, because there's too many things there that remind me of her, and I don't want to see her with Shay, or Jamie, or anyone else. She's the only woman I'll ever love, and if she won't let me be with her, then that's it. I can't be with anyone else." I confessed. "Right now, Darius is the least of my problems, and if he fires me, then it'll actually be better because then I won't have to see Jude at the studio, and it won't hurt as much." I was being honest now, and Kwest was shaking his head. "What?" I wanted to know what he was thinking.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" Kwest laughed. "You're here, completely hung over, moping around some girl you can'ttake your eyes off ofsince the day she walked in, and she's there, going on and on about how much she loved you, and how much you still manage to hurt her, even with all the drama you've been through. Both of you are too blind to see how much you belong together, but you're both just as stubborn that you'd never admit you love one another unless you were in a life-or-death situation, or the end of the world came."

I was still processing what Kwest had just said. Jude still loved me? I decided to find out. "She said that? I need to see her." I went toward the door, but Kwest held me back. "Whoa, slow down. Jude's not ready to see you yet. But she will." Kwest began to smile, a plan slowly forming in his head.

"What are you talking about? What are you planning?" I had no idea what Kwest was about to do.

"Don't worry. Just leave it to me," Kwest answered. "Ihave to goback to the studio before Dariusdemands to know whether I talked to you, and when I pretend that I haven't,he'll kill me. I'll see you there later, OK? Just sober up before coming in. The studio's tense enough as it is."Kwest leftlike the house was on fire, and I heard the squeal of tires on the driveway soon after.

AN: Will Tommy take Kwest's advice? What will Kwest do? Review to find out! I want to get at least 140 reviews before I post the next chapter, so click that button at the bottom, OK? And thanks for all the reviews so far! You guys are the best!


	45. Chapter 42

AN: OK, over 100 people read my last chapter, but none of you reviewed? I know this story isn't that bad. What did you think of this week's new episode with Kat and Mr. H? First Jamie and Patsy, and now Kat and Mr. H? That's just so wrong in my opinion. OK, on with this story! Or have you had enough already? Let me know, don't just read it and leave itat that.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. I can't wait to see Jude's reaction to Kat kissing Mr. H. And is Mrs. H really getting it on with her divorce lawyer, or was that just another one of Stuart's cracks at her? I wonder if Sadie will break up with Tommy after she tried calling him, and he didn't pick up because he was helping Jude at her studio. And I loved the part where Tommy promised Jude that he'd always be there to help her.

Chapter 42:

I decided to take a shower before going in, because I knew Darius's stance on mixing business with pleasure. I downed a few cups of coffee, and hoped that total immersion in my spacious shower would do the trick. After that, I took a few aspirin and drove off to the studio.

When I got there, G Major was, as always, in full swing. People were coming in with furniture, new wardrobes, and painters were all over redecorating the walls. I immediately spotted Kwest, who was as stunned as I was at the renovations.

"Hey," Kwest teased, "Glad to see you could finally make it here."

"Save it, OK? Where's Darius?" I urged.

"Trying to get it over and done with, huh? He's in Georgia's old office, where else?" Kwest shook his head in disbelief, and I walked away to find out how he'd react to seeing me after my absence.

Once I got there, I knocked politely, knowing he hated to be interrupted by anything or anyone, except for Shay and Portia.

"Yeah?" Darius called out.

I poked my head in, and saw Darius leaning back on a recliner, his feet propped up on the desk and a phone in his hand. "I'll get back to you," he muttered to whoever was on the other end. His expression changed to one of interest. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to grace us with his presence."

"Darius, I can explain. I was just feeling out of it lately, but I'm back, I promise. You have my word." I began, but Darius cut me off, waving his hand in midair.

"You know why I called you in, right?" Darius smiled as I shook my head. He pressed down the intercom. "Send him in."

A man came in, dressed extremely well in a formal business suit and carrying a briefcase.

"Say hello to my new right hand man. Liam will be taking over for me while I'm not around. That means he gets full control over everything that goes on, over my artists, in the studio, in everything. So make sure you give him a warm welcome, alright?" Darius smiled even more as Liam extended his hand toward me. I hated him already, but shook his hand anyway.

"Liam, this is Tommy Q, formerly of Boyz Attack, who's now my #1 producer and the hottest writer producer in the business."

Liam nodded in understanding, and said, "Nice to meet you, Tom." I glanced at him, noting his British accent, and knew he wasn't one to cross. And neither was I, so we would just have to see who would win the battle of wills.

I turned to Darius, and said, "Listen, Darius, I gotta go, Kwest and I have to work on some tracks." I was desperate to get out of there, because I sensed they had some corporate matters to discuss.

Darius could sense my discomfort, and smiled. "Say hi to your boyfriend for me." He leaned over, and whispered loudly enough for me to hear, "They're joined at the hip, you know. Inseparable. Wherever one goes, you can be sure the other's close by."

I ignored him, and tried to get out of there in a hurry. Before I could leave, however, Darius called out, "Oh, and Tom?"

I stopped in my tracks, and turned around, plastering a fake smile on my face. "Yeah?"

"Shay and Jude are coming back from their tour at the end of the week. I expect you to start work on her sophomore album immediately when she comes in." I knew Darius was a taskmaster, but this was ridiculous. I nodded, and as I walked out, I began to think of ways to cut her some slack, knowing she was in for a rude awakening. Our previous fights, no matter how serious they were, were nothing compared to what Darius was capable of getting people to do, no matter how much they struggled against it. And I'd never let Jude throw away her career. She meant too much to me, and I'd rather die a thousand painful deaths before seeing that happen.

AN: Sooo, what do you think? I don't care if it's flames, I just want something to go off of. So please, let me know. Deal?


	46. Chapter 43

Special Note to Readers: To those of you who are still reading this, thanks for staying with me so far. I'll try and keep it interesting (even though it's getting harder and harder since a lot of ideas have already been used).

AN: In case you didn't know, the Orange Lounge is the label that produces the Songs from Instant Star soundtrack.

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this by now, but I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star. If I did, Jude and Tommy would be together already, G Major would be run by Georgia and E.J., Sadie wouldn't be the jealous and bitter older sister that she is, Jude's parent's would be together (and that whole thing with Yvette never would have happened), and Kat and Jamie would be together (and no Jamie/Jude). But ignore my rambling (which I'm sure most of you do already). Here's the latest chapter. I hope you like it!

Chapter 43:

I went to Studio A, where Kwest was already hard at work mixing tracks. He barely lifted his head as I walked in, and I sat next to him and put on some headphones. The music that I heard was for Jude's new song, which he had already started working on since he'd come back early from her tour to get started. After a few moments, Kwest turned to me, taking off his headphones. I followed suit.

"So, what do you think?" Kwest waited for my response.

I had to admit, it sounded really good from someone who wasn't as good as me at coming up with the next big hit. I tried to play it cool, so I shrugged and said, "It's OK."

"OK?" Kwest couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "You know how many countless hours I've spent slaving over the board, and all you can say is 'OK'?"

I laughed and said, "Chill, Kwest, it's good. I mean, really good. Satisfied?" I smirked as Kwest shot me a look of deepest loathing and scowled. He turned his attention back to the task at hand, and we worked silently for the next few hours.

As soon as the tracks were done, I went back to my office to tweak the sound a bit more, so that it would be sonic perfection by the time Jude came back. I found a note taped to my door which had the following words scribbled hastily on it:

Tom –

Jude's going to be performing at the Orange Lounge on Saturday. I want you to meet up with her before then to rehearse a couple of songs.

Darius

I snatched the letter off the door, as reality slowly sunk in. How was I supposed to fix things with Jude by then, let alone pull this off, when she couldn't even stand being in the same room with me? I went into my office and went over a million and one ways of how that'd play out, and decided that not a single one of them would end well. One thing was certain, I wouldn't hurt her again, not like the last time we'd seen each other.

AN: Sooo, what do you think? I know this is really short, but it's all I could come up with (writer's block sucks). The next chapter will have Tommy, Kwest, Jude, and a few other people I haven't completely decided on yet. I'll continue this story if you keep reviewing, soplease review. I can't stress that enough (OK, maybe I can and you're already sick of me saying that a zillion times). I really don't care if it's flames, but your reviews will help me know what works and what doesn't.


	47. Chapter 44

AN: To those of you reading this, thanks for staying with me so far. This one's for you (actually, they all are).

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this by now, but I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star. If I did, Jude and Tommy would be together already, G Major would be run by Georgia and E.J., Sadie wouldn't be the jealous and bitter older sister that she is, Jude's parent's would be together (and that whole thing with Yvette never would have happened), and Kat and Jamie would be together (and no Jamie/Jude). But ignore my rambling (which I'm sure most of you do already). Here's the latest chapter. I hope you like it!

Chapter 44:

A couple days later, I decided to patch things up with Jude. I brought Kwest and Sadie along with me, to intervene in case there were any serious shouting matches, tears, and punches thrown (at me, not Jude). I also made sure that Kwest and Sadie knew exactly how I felt about Jude, and how I'd hurt her, and how I wanted to make things up to her, so that they'd know how to butter her up before she'd finally agree to talk to me again.

Once I'd gotten the address from Kwest, who'd come back early from Jude's tour to get me and Jude back together, I checked out the place where Jude and SME were staying, which allowed them to practice without annoying their neighbors. They'd rented a house that was far from suburbia, and one that they could practice at all hours of the day (or night). When I got there, I saw them just getting started. I knocked on the door, and Spiederman answered.

"Dude, what are you doing here?" Spiederman's eyes widened as he saw who was with me.

Sadie pushed in front of me and said, "Tell my sister that I came to see her."

Spiederman took in Sadie's appearance, and said, "Whatever you say, babe."

"Who you callin' babe?" Kwest said, putting an arm protectively around Sadie and glaring at Spiederman.

"No one," Spiederman said quickly, holding his hands up in surrender. "Uh, Jude, your sister's here…" I could tell he was about to say more, but Jude came to the door just then, and immediately saw me there. She froze, but then her eyes passed over me to settle on Sadie, who was trying to get her attention.

"Hey sis," Sadie said, trying to sound like nothing was wrong. "How's tour life going?"

"It's been good, until now. Sadie, can I talk to you privately?" I knew Jude and Sadie were going to talk about me, and I didn't bother trying to apologize to Jude just yet, because I knew she wasn't going to listen.

The rest of the band groaned as they were completely psyched to be rehearsing, but now it looked like it'd be a while before they could practice. They got up and headed to the kitchen to eat whatever they could find.

I turned to Kwest, and blurted out, "Kwest, you think I got a chance with her?"

Kwest hesitated, then said, "It depends. You've hurt her so many times, but if she really loves you, like I think she does, then she'll be able to see how you feel about her, and any problems you two have won't matter as much."

I knew Kwest would say something like that. He was so analytical sometimes, but he hadn't given me a straight answer. I glanced at him, and he continued, saying, "I don't know, man. I don't know what to tell you." He walked over to the drums and sat down, taking the sticks and playing a couple of random beats. He saw how upset I was, so he tried to change the subject. "What about practicing that song you wrote for her?"

"OK," I said, even though I wasn't sure I could.

Kwest started to play, and I sang, pouring my heart out into every syllable. I let my mind wander back to all the times that Jude had mistaken my actions for hurtful ones, and I remembered how heartbroken and devastated she'd been. And about halfway into the song, I couldn't stand it anymore. I broke down completely as the tears began pouring down my face, and Kwest came over to pat my shoulder, trying, and failing, to make me feel better. Moments later, I heard Sadie and Jude come back in. Sadie tried to shield me from Jude's view, and Jude's expression was one of shock and confusion over my emotional outburst.

For a minute, no one spoke. Then Jude said quietly, "Kwest? Sadie? Would you excuse us for a minute?"

Kwest wordlessly walked over to Sadie, took her hand, and tried to pull her away. Sadie seemed reluctant to leave Jude alone with me, but eventually gave in and followed him out.

AN: Sooo, what do you think? Besides the fact that I'm evil and I ended this on a cliffhanger so that you'd have to review to find out what happens. I know, "not cool", as Tommy would say, but you get my point, so please review, OK? I can't stress that enough (OK, maybe I can and you're already sick of me saying that a zillion times). I really don't mind if it's flames. Just review. . .please.


	48. Chapter 45

AN: OMG, I'm almost at 150 reviews! I so can't believe this! Thanks you guys, this is so cool (squealing and jumping down excitedly)! I never could have done this without you! As always this one's for you (actually, they all are). Let me know if this one's too sappy or mushy for you, and I'll see what I can do (since the next chapter or two will be about the same).

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this by now, but I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star. Here's the latest chapter. I hope you like it!

Chapter 45:

Jude was silent until Kwest and Sadie had barely walked out the door. I waited for her to say something, but saw she was trying to control her emotions, which by the looks of it were threatening to break free at any moment.

I spoke first, and said, "Jude, I'm sorry." Just the sight of her made me feel guilty

Jude let out a sharp "Yeah, right," as she sniffled also. "If you really loved me as you always say you do, we wouldn't be here like this, would we?"

"Jude…" I began, but Jude cut me off.

"Don't," she commanded, "You know something, Tommy? I loved you. I really did. I was ready to face whatever and whoever came up against us. I wanted us to be public, so that you could see how mature I was, and how much I loved you. How much I was willing to sacrifice for us, my career, even though I've been dreaming about this for years. But you were so self-absorbed, so worried about what everyone else thought about our relationship but us. And I realized something. You keep telling me to be the mature one, the one who does the "right" thing, but you're not that person. I am. I'm the one who knows exactly what I feel, and I'm not afraid to be myself. I won't let anyone tell me what to do, and if it means more media attention, then fine. I'm OK with that. But you've grown up in the spotlight with Boyz Attack. You're supposed to be used to all the pressure, but at the first sign of trouble, you want to play it safe and pretend that there's nothing going on between us. So you started dating Sadie, because it was safe to be with someone close to me, and yet far enough away to hide anyone's suspicions. And Sadie knew that, and she knew how much I'd always loved you, so she ended it. Not because she didn't love you, but because she knew you could never really love her the way you claimed to love me. But ever since she hooked up with Kwest, you still haven't managed to let everyone know how you really feel about me. And especially not Darius, because although you keep going on about how Darius runs your life, he doesn't control you, not your friends, not who you date, or anything like that. But since you still haven't gone public with us as a couple, maybe you don't really want to be with me after all. And why should you? You're little Tommy Q, the guy who can get anyone he wants, and drop them whenever he wants. You don't care about anyone's feelings but your own. You say you're sorry for hurting me, but then you do it again and again. You think a smile and an apology will do the trick, at least for a moment, and girls will just eat those up and pretend that it never happened. When I first met you, I promised I wouldn't be like one of those girls. But guess what? I was just stupid enough to fall for you. So when will it stop? Not whenever you want it to. And you know what? You're not in charge anymore, not of me, anyway. You can't break my heart anymore, Quincy, because it's already been broken beyond repair." Jude paused to grab a Kleenex and wiped her eyes, then continued. "I'm just sorry for the next girl you do this to."

"There's not going to be a 'next girl'," I admitted. "There's only been one, and she's you."

"Then why do you keep doing this to me? You keep screwing up, and then trying to fix things, but we always end up arguing." Jude had tears falling gently down her face.

"What do you want me to say then?" I was confused. "Since 'I'm sorry' obviously doesn't cut it, what do you want me to do? I keep trying to fix things with you, since I do want be with you, and only you, but at the first sign of trouble, you push me away, and make me feel like there's nothing I can do to get you back."

"Come on, Tommy, we both know we're not meant to be together. You're too…you, and I won't change, not for anyone." Jude insisted, which only made my heart break even more, knowing the woman I loved didn't love me back.

"OK, so you won't change. What if I did? Would that help?" I asked sarcastically. At Jude's annoyance, I quickly added, "What if I told Darius and everyone? Would you give me another chance then?"

"I don't know, Tommy," Jude replied, a little too honestly. That wasn't the response I wanted to hear from her. "I just need some space. And a lot of time to think."

"That's going to be a problem then," I didn't want to spring this on her just yet, but I knew Darius would be down my throat if I didn't.

"What are you talking about?" Jude looked suspicious, like I had planned it all along.

"Darius wants us towork ona couple songs. That's why I came to see you before your tour ended. He wants you to perform them when you get back." I sighed, and raked my hand through my hair as I waited for Jude to say something.

AN: Sooo, what do you think? Let me know, OK?


	49. Chapter 46

AN: OMG, you guys are the best! I can't believe I got to 150 (squealing and jumping down excitedly)! I never could have done this without you! As always, this one's for you (actually, they all are). Let me know if it's too boring, and I'll quit, unless you want me to continue.

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this by now, but I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star. Here's the latest chapter. I hope you like it!

Chapter 46:

Jude immediately started pacing, then stopped abruptly. "No," she said, "I won't."

I was shocked, to say the least. We both knew what Darius would do if she didn't comply with his wishes, as he called them.

"Jude, you know what's going to happen if we don't do what Darius wants," I warned.

Jude rolled her eyes, and said, "Darius can go shove it for all I care. Anyway, who gave you permission to change the subject?"

"I just thought…" I said weakly, then let it go.

"And that's your mistake, isn't it? Thinking, I mean. It really isn't your strong point, you know," Jude's insults were clearly intended to hurt me, which they did. She smiled sweetly, knowing she'd succeeded.

I'd had enough. "Jude, what's your problem? Besides the fact that I keep hurting you, and I'm sorry, and you don't care. What is it?"

Jude paused, debating whether to be open or not, and decided to let it out. "The fact that you think you can keep hurting me. You never say anything you mean. You can't be straight with me, because you can't be straight with yourself. You try and be all nice, when it's all just an act that you've done a hundred times. You insist that you love me, when you've said the same thing to hundreds of girls that you roll off of and forget about within a few hours. So tell me, Tommy, who's really got a problem?"

I couldn't believe how well she knew me, even more than I knew myself. I'd kept myself so hidden from the public eye that even my closest friends didn't know about my past. But Jude wasn't a close friend. She was more than that, and she'd always be more than that. No matter how much we fought, no matter how many tears were shed, she deserved to know the truth.

"You're right, Jude," I said, as Jude looked on in amazement. "I do have a problem. But it's not the kind that you think it is. You always rant about how your problems are so huge that you don't know how to deal with them, how your parents' divorce is affecting you, how Sadie drives you crazy, and how hurt you were when Jamie broke up with you? You think you have more problems than anyone else? Well guess what, Jude? You're wrong. You don't know anything about me. You don't know about my parents. They never supported me, or spent time with me, and they didn't want me to join Boyz Attack, because of what their friends might say. They didn't want to be reminded that their son, who had no professional aspirations, left a perfectly good home environment to waste away in some god-forsaken nightclub, where drinks were endless and there were plenty of girls to distract me from remembering who my parents wanted me to be. They never showed up at any of my concerts, and I haven't seen them or spoken to them since I joined Boyz Attack. You don't know about my older brother, who'd always made fun of me for dropping out of school. He didn't want to be known as the brother of Tom Quincy, who never even finished 7th grade. He was a straight A student, the model son that my parents always wanted. He hated having my parents push him to keep me in line, with grades, with everything. He lectured me about how I shouldn't throw my life away, that I'd never amount to anything if I didn't get a good education, that if I did what my parents wanted, I'd always have something to be proud of, because my parents told him to. And my younger sister? She desperately wanted nothing to do with 'lil Tommy Q.' On the outside, she was the dutiful daughter. She was a perfect little angel, always trying to help, always caring and loyal. But when she was with her friends, she did what she wanted, whenever she wanted. And no one thought otherwise. My parents and their friends thought she could do no wrong. They couldn't see her for what she really was, for what they all were. They all had issues, but I was the one to blame, the black sheep, just because I abandoned the family for my own 'musical aspirations'. My family was supposed to love and support me no matter what I did, but they didn't. So you want to know why I always put on 'an act', as you call it? Why I'm all work and no play? Because I don't want to remember how painful my memories are. Because if I can be the best writer/producer out there, then maybe one day my family will accept me as I am, and not who they want me to be. Is that a good enough explanation for you?"

Jude nodded, sniffling a little at the vivid description of my family members, then said, "Tommy, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

I wouldn't let her off that easy. "You never bothered to ask."

Jude gave me a tentative smile. "So, you want to get to work?"

I smiled back, seeing as how quickly she changed the subject. "Depends, do you still want me as your producer?"

"Yes," Jude pleaded. "Kwest is great, but he's nowhere near as good as you are."

"But you know I'll be hard on you," I reminded her.

"It's OK, I can take it," Jude assured me. I knew the old Jude had come back.

"So, where does this leave us?" I was dying to hear her response.

"I don't know. Let's just take it slow, OK?" Jude looked as confused as I felt.

"It's a deal," I said. We went to work.

AN: Sooo, what do you think? Will Tommy be able to control his emotions? Will something happen between them that they'll regret? Lots more drama to come, if you want me to continue. Otherwise, this is it.


	50. Chapter 47

AN: OMG, you guys are so encouraging! I can't believe that I'd ever get this far! But there's no way I could have ever done this without your encouraging reviews and suggestions! Please keep them coming, and I'll try to make it more interesting. As always, this one's for you (actually, they all are).

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this by now, but I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star. Here's the latest chapter. I hope you like it!

Chapter 47:

Jude and I got a few songs down on paper, and after Jude's tour was over, we went back to G Major, where I knew Darius was waiting. As soon as we came in, we were immediately ushered to Darius's office. Jude looked at me, obviously wondering why D was so anxious to see what was up. After a little while, Darius opened the door and barked out, "Good, you're here. Let's see what you got."

Jude looked at me, thinking I could read Darius's mind. I shrugged, and let her go in first.

"Sit down," Darius commanded, as I realized Liam was already in the office.

"Jude, nice to have you back. I hope you've come up with some new tracks. Let's have a look," Darius said. It wasn't a question.

Jude gave the papers to Darius, who shuffled through them briefly. Liam leaned over his shoulder, also glancing at them, and smirked.

Darius coughed suddenly, which I took to be a bad sign. Liam left, and Darius didn't waste time.

"Jude, is this all you got?" Darius frowned.

"Excuse me?" Jude didn't understand.

"Is there anything else you'd like to show me?" Darius struggled to be civil, but I could tell he wasn't happy.

"No, that's it. That's all I got." Jude echoed Darius' words.

Darius paused, then said, "These aren't ready."

Jude was shocked, and judging by the expression on her face, I quickly added, "I'll help her with them." I knew Darius could let us go at any moment, and I didn't want this to be it. If Jude got fired, I'd be out of a job, and Jude was my favorite artist, the only one who didn't make it feel like work.

Jude glared at me, and I knew she wasn't going to change them, not even a little.

"Good, because Jude's sales are slipping, and we need to get them back up. If they keep on going the way they are, we'll have to let her go. So we need a hit, and fast. Or else…" Darius looked from me to Jude and back again. He couldn't be any clearer.

"Gotcha, D, we're on it," I said, standing up and pulling Jude with me. Jude looked like she was about to pop, but I managed to push her out before she blew up.

"What was that all about? My music is great. What does he know? He's the one dressing me up in space costumes and making me do small tours," Jude complained.

"Maybe so," I admitted, remembering how he forced me do taco commercials. "But he does know music, and he knows how to play to the crowd. Just do it, OK? For me?"

"Fine, but I swear, if he makes me look like a hooker, I'm so outta here." For a moment, I pictured Jude as one, where she was dancing around the room, singing her favorite song, dressed in a tight red minidress and heels, with makeup on and hair put up, and the room began feeling warmer by the second. I snapped back to reality and gawked as Jude was waving her hand in front of my face. "Hello? Earth to Tommy..."

"What?" I wasn't sure what I'd missed.

"I'm suddenly feeling strangely inspired," Jude said, a hint of a smile on her face and her blue eyes twinkling.

"Good, just go with it," I urged her.

A few hours later, it was all done. Jude had gone off by herself, and I knew it was best to leave her alone. She usually came up with brilliant lyrics and sounds, and I knew this time would be no different. She burst back into the studio, where Kwest and I had been listening to some other tracks, fine-tuning them for other artists, when Jude practically jumped into my lap.

"Tommy, look," Jude squealed as she dumped her lyrics into my hands. Kwest raised his eyebrows in response, and I shook my head, trying to dispel any thoughts he may have had.

After a minute, I knew how Darius would respond if he saw these. I tried to be as polite as I could, knowing that if Jude sensed any opposition from me, there'd be no way she'd ever forgive me, so I stretched the truth a bit.

"Jude, this is great," I said. It really was, except for the fact that the song was about how Jude was being told to do something she didn't want to do, and if she fought back, she'd be forced to do it anyway. It didn't exactly mention Darius, but anyone who heard it would realize it right away. "Let me just tweak it a little, OK?"

"OK," Jude agreed, not knowing what I was thinking.

"Go ahead and get a drink. Your voice sounds pretty raw from all that rehearsing," I tried to give Jude an escape from the storm that was looming.

"OK, thanks," Jude left in the direction of the kitchen.

Kwest glanced at them momentarily, and after making sure Jude wasn't around, said, "Man, what're you gonna do?"

"I gotta rewrite this," I said, my mind already spinning as to how to fix it. I grabbed some paper and a pen, and started changing some lyrics.

A few minutes later, I was still in the process of fixing Jude's song. I was so focused on the task at hand that I didn't hear Darius walk in, Liam trailing close behind.

"Tom, nice to see you're working hard," Darius said. He glanced at the sheets spread out on the table. "Mind if I take a look?"

"No, go ahead," I said, trying subtly to cover up Jude's old version with my new version. But Darius was too quick. He pulled out the first sheet of Jude's old version, and I saw his expression change in a matter of seconds: from curiosity to anger, and I saw his eyes go from calm and interested to blazing and disgusted.

"What is this?" Darius tried to keep the anger from spilling into his voice.

"What's what?" Jude walked back in, mug in hand. I didn't want her to see Darius really upset, so I tried to smooth things over.

"Jude, just give us a second, OK?" I pleaded, trying to push her out before Darius erupted.

"No, Tom, I think Jude should stick around and hear what Darius is trying to say," Liam spoke up, hardly trying to conceal his happiness at the turn of events.

"Jude, I give you a second chance, which is really nice of me, and you have to go and blow this by trying to get back at me through your music? How immature can you be?" Darius started, and Istepped in before it got out of hand.

"Look, D, she just got back from tour. She needs a break. Once she gets one, she'll be as good as new. She'll write killer songs, but she needs to sleep. She hasn't slept in days," I tried defending Jude, but Liam cut me off.

"We're not paying her to sleep, we're paying her to make good music. And right now, what she's making in sales isn't even breaking even. We can't keep paying her if her sales are down the toilet. Do you know how much an outside artist needs to pay to use our studio?"

I knew the figures well. "$500 an hour, I know."

Liam continued. "And do you know how much Jude's made in sales?"

That I didn't know. "Look, whatever the difference is, I'll cover it. Until Jude can get back up."

Liam and Darius glanced at one another. I knew exactly what they were thinking: that I was closer to Jude than I let on.

Finally, Darius spoke up. "That's OK, Tommy. I've seen all I need to see. And you're right. Jude needs a break."

I couldn't believe it. Darius actually agreeing with me? Unbelievable.

"And I'll give her one. Jude, I'm banning you and Tommy from G Major as of right now. I don't want to see either of you in here for the next 4 months. Maybe that will get you ready to work when you come back."

Jude and I were stunned. "What?" I sputtered, thinking I'd heard wrong. "Why?"

"Because, Tommy," Liam cut in smoothly, "Jude's just not good anymore, and no matter what she does, it won't help. And you, you're obviously not just defending Jude. It's not your job you're fighting to keep. It's more than that, isn't it?" Liam smirked even more as I knew he was onto me.

I was about to let that overly polite, yetcunning as the devil Brithave it right then and there, but Darius interrupted. "Don't make me start charging you. You've already been here for one minute more than you should, so what does that come to, Liam?"

Liam smiled cruelly and was about to respond, when I cut in and said, "Don't bother. We're outta here."

I grabbed Jude and vowed to wipe those stupid smiles off Darius and Liam when I returned. Someday, I'll make you pay, I promised myself silently. Someday.

AN: Sooo, what do you think? I know what you're probably thinking - for lack of a better term, a total rip-off of a past episode. How will Tommy and Jude deal? What'll they do now that they're off? Should I go on?


	51. Chapter 48

AN: Thanks for your reviews! This one's for you (actually, they all are). I don't know if nightclubs have private rooms, since I've never been to one, but for this chapter, just pretend like they do.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star.

Chapter 48:

Once we were outside, Jude instantly turned on me. "Why did you let Darius kick me out?" She shoved me and stalked away.

I went after her, grabbing her arm. "Jude, you don't know Darius like I do. Besides, if we did anything, he'd just put Liam on us."

Jude shuddered slightly, then pretended as if she hadn't. "Yeah, Liam's just Darius' pet. He tries to show everyone up, but he's all talk." Quickly changing the subject, she added, "Where will I practice now? I can't come to the studio, so…"

As if on cue, her cell went off. Jude picked it up, not looking at the number, and said, "Hello?"

I saw Jude's face go pale, then she hung up without another word.

"Jude, what is it? What's wrong?" I knew something was wrong, but Jude just shook her head. "Nothing, it's nothing." She gave me a reassuring glance, silently willing me to drop the subject, and she suddenly said, "I need to get out of my house, it's too stressful right now."

"OK, so where do you want to stay? Kat's?" I suggested.

"No, Kat and Jamie are out of town. And anyway, I meant I want a place of my own, somewhere where I can just be myself, you know? Where I can play whenever I want and not have the neighbors complaining?" From the look on her face, she needed it desperately.

"I'll start looking around, but in the meantime…" An idea popped into my head, and I knew Jude would definitely go for it.

"What? Come on, tell me," Jude practically begged, as I smiled at her. I loved keeping her in suspense.

"I know this place…" I started, but then decided against it. "Just trust me on this, come on." I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the Viper.

The whole way there, Jude was trying to get me to tell her where we were going, but I kept my mouth closed.

When we got there, we went in, where it was pretty quiet. For now, at least.

I had brought Jude to the hottest nightclub in town, and I'd arranged with the owner (a longtime friend) for Jude to perform a song or two, depending on the crowd. If I remembered correctly, Jude would bring down the house. And she definitely did, once the place was packed.

After her set was over, Jude spotted me over at the bar. I had water this time, so I could keep an eye on Jude. I knew how guys would always try something with the singers, so I kept sober just in case. Jude wove her way around the crowd, then said, "So, how was I?"

I looked at Jude, and suddenly realized how fast she'd matured. "You were amazing, girl. Just like always."

I saw Kwest and Sadie sitting on the other side, and I asked Jude if she wanted to go and join them.

"Sure," Jude said. I searched for any signs of exasperation on Jude's face, but didn't see any. So we went over there and Kwest pulled up a couple seats.

"Jude, you sounded great," Kwest remarked, stealing a glance at Sadie to see how she'd react to being left out of the spotlight once again.

"Yeah, you really were," Sadie said. This time, she didn't sound jealous or bitter.

"Uh, Sadie? Can I talk to you for a second?" I wanted to check to see how she was doing. I hadn't talked to her much after I found out she'd hooked up with Kwest.

"Yeah. Jude?" Sadie asked. Jude just nodded, and we went to a private room where we could talk.

"So, Sadie. How's it going?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

"It's great. Kwest, he's great," Sadie gushed. I interrupted.

"Look, Sadie, I know I haven't gotten to talk to you much after you hooked up with Kwest, and I hope you're not mad at me anymore about hurting you the way I did," I began, but Sadie stopped me.

"Tommy, it's OK. I know you love Jude. Even if you don't mention it, it's as clear as day. Anyone can see that." Sadie insisted.

"Yeah, anyone but Jude," I muttered under my breath. Out loud, I said, "Thanks Sadie, it means a lot to me that you're OK with me and Jude." I was still thinking about Jude's phone call earlier, and decided to ask Sadie about it. "Sadie, is everything OK at home?"

"Yeah, why?" Sadie looked confused.

"No reason, just wondering." I said quickly, hoping I sounded convincing. "Wanna go back?" Now that everything was settled once and for all, I could finally relax.

"Sure," Sadie agreed. We walked back to the table, where Kwest was sitting.

"Kwest, man, where's Jude?" I didn't want to let her out of my sight.

"I don't know, but she went over there," Kwest said, pointing.

"What for?" I knew how drunk guys could be, and I didn't want Jude to experience it firsthand.

"Whoa, chill man, Jude's a big girl, she can take care of herself," Kwest said, pulling Sadie into his lap and wrapping his arms around her.

"Don't I know it," I mumbled, leaving Sadie and Kwest to continue holding each other.

I walked over to where Kwest had directed, and saw that it was a private room. I knocked on the door, where I heard faint voices, and someone called out, "We're busy." The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I didn't think twice about it. Then I heardsomeone moan, andanother person tried to keep it quiet. Was it Jude? I had to know for sure. I tried the door, and found it was locked. "Jude?" I called out. I heard something, then, "There's no Jude here. Try the next one down." I went over to Kwest, and said, "Kwest, are you sure Jude's in there?"

Kwest had been talking to Sadie, and stopped when I interrupted. "Yeah, she went in with someone a few minutes ago. I didn't see who. Why? What's wrong?"

"The door's locked, and someone keeps telling me Jude's not in there."

I didn't bother, but went up to the owner. "I need a key to the room over there," I said, a little breathlessly. My friend didn't ask, but followed, flipping through his keys. Kwest also followed, along with Sadie.

He put the keys in, turned the knob, and when the door opened, I couldn't believe what I saw.

AN: Should I continue?


	52. Chapter 49

AN: OMG, I love you guys (tear)! This one's for you (actually, they all are).

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star.

Chapter 49:

"Hey!" One of the people inside exclaimed. "Where do you get off…" He didn't finish his sentence, because I walked over, grabbed his shirt, and and threw him headfirst into the wall. When he staggered back, holding his head and moaning, I grabbed him and punched him out in two seconds. He was out cold immediately.

The other person was trembling as if she couldn't get warm if her life depended on it. I took her in my arms and she sobbed. "Shh, Jude, it's OK, I'm not gonna let Liam hurt you anymore, OK?" Jude buried her head against my neck, and bawled.

Sadie spoke from the entrance. "He's right, Jude, none of us will." She walked over, still in shock at seeing her sister almost getting raped by her boss' assistant, and gave her a hug that seemed to last forever.

At last, Jude's crying slowly faded into silence, and she put on a brave face, although everyone could sense she was still vulnerable.

Kwest was quieter than usual, and his eyes glinted darkly. "We gotta do something man. We can't just let him get away with it." Kwest had become closer to Jude since we'd had our disagreements, and Kwest's recent relationship with Sadie had brought him closer to Jude as well.

Jude released herself from Sadie's grasp, and spoke up. "Kwest, no, I got it. This is something I need to do myself, OK? Tommy, Kwest, I can't have you risk your jobs just because you want to get back at Liam for almost raping me. And Sadie, I'm sorry, but I don't want you involved. This is my problem. Let me handle it, OK?"

"Jude, no. He's too dangerous. Scum like Liam, they always think a few steps ahead. You'll never be able to take him out." At Jude's glare, I quickly added, "I mean, you won't be able to beat him. Our only chance is if we make him look bad in front of Darius."

Sadie snorted. "Like that'll ever happen. Mr. Always-Able-to-Make-Other-People-Feel-Inferior never misses a beat."

Suddenly, an idea formed in my head. "Listen, guys. I just thought of something. You know how Shay's back from his tour, right?" Everyone nodded. "What if I suggest a coming back party for Shay, and I offer my services to help prepare for it? And what if I persuade Eden, as Shay's date, to screw things up for Liam?"

"Why would you use her?" Jude scowled at the mention of her biggest archenemy.

"Because, she'll distract Shay, and Shay's record sales will go down, Darius will be upset, and he'll take it out on everyone. And to add the icing on the cake, Sadie, that's where you come in."

"What?" screeched Sadie. Kwest told her to keep it down, and Sadie smacked him on the shoulder, frowning. "Why would you ask me to work with that..." She couldn't bring herself to even mention Eden's name.

"Because, then it'll be harder to determine which person screwed things up, but if everything goes according to plan, Liam will be kicked out of G Major and behind bars where he belongs." I looked at Jude, waiting expectantly for her approval, and Jude didn't let me down.

"OK, suppose I go along with your plan," Sadie said, "what do I do?"

"Just a sec," I said, smiling at the thought of Liam's demise. I checked outside to see if anyone was listening, then went back in and told them my plan. Sadie and Jude agreed that the plan would work, but Kwest refused to go along with it. Sadie had to persuade him, and eventually Kwest grudgingly agreed. Then Sadie left, taking Kwest with her. Jude adjusted her clothing, which still looked a little rumpled, and avoided my gaze.

"Tommy, I…" Jude muttered, just loud enough for me to hear her.

I raised Jude's chin so that her eyes were looking right into mine. "Jude, I get it, it's OK. Really." I hugged her briefly, and felt her stiffen in my embrace.

I released her, and she bolted, mumbling something about needing a drink. Moments later, Kwest returned. He took in my expression, and immediately sensed I wanted to tell him something.

"Dude, what is it?" Kwest said, a little impatient.

I told him my other plan, the one I didn't want Sadie, and especially not Jude, to know about, at least not yet. Kwest seemed upset at first, but then he wanted in also.

My POV: Now it's personal. Liam could mess up my career, my friends, my life. Fine, do whatever you want. But mess with Jude? That's it. You've crossed the line. Mess with Jude, and I swear, I'll personally make your life a living hell. No one toys with Jude and gets away with it. Not you. Not Darius. No one.

AN: What's Tommy planning? And what's his deal with Kwest? It's for me to know and you to find out (Mwa ha ha ha :o)! )


	53. Chapter 50

AN: OMG, I am soooo sorry. I've been trying to post this chapter for the last several days, but I kept getting an error message. Computers suck! But if it weren't for them,youwouldn't be able to read this now. So I can't live with them, but I can't live without 'em either. On another note, does anyone know what Liam's last name is? I probably got it wrong, but I'll change it for the next chapter if any of you know for sure. And I might be ending this and starting another fanfic and naming it The Trial (unless inspiration hits and I get more reviews.). Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I do own Judge Wilson.

Chapter 50:

I sold my place, my Hummer, motorcycle, and Corbeau, and my other homes in the States (except for the one place that was so secluded that no one but me and people I knew could come and go as they pleased), and made a few calls to my bank, Georgia, and E.J. Then I went to G Major, where I prepared to have it out with Darius.

As soon as I walked in, I saw Portia talking to the receptionist. She noticed me immediately, and pressed a button, signaling my arrival to Darius.

A few moments later, Darius walked out. He looked upset. "Tom, I thought I told you I didn't want to see you in here for the next 3 months."

"Yeah, well, there's been a change in plans," I said confidently. "I want to buy G Major from you."

Darius smirked. "Too bad, 'cuz I'm not selling." Just then, Liam popped his head out of one of the hallways. "Darius, Mason's on the line." Darius turned and left, but Liam slunk out, grinning evilly.

"What do you want, Liam?" I asked, knowing he was up to one of his tricks.

"Oh, nothing. I just overheard you were interested in buying this place." Liam said, as cockily as ever.

"You got a problem with that?" I challenged.

"No, but I have a feeling you're going to need a lot of money pretty soon. So I'd suggest saving every single cent you've got." Liam said, the corners of his mouth beginning to turn up.

"What're you saying?" I wanted to know, but Liam merely walked away, chuckling to himself. He stopped, turned back to look at me, and said, "Oh, and Tommy?"

"What?" I growled out, a little too harshly.

"Get out. If I see you in here again before your ban's over, I'll have you arrested." Liam smirked again, and slunk out before I could beat him up.

My POV: I wonder what he means by "You're going to need a lot of money pretty soon."

I shrugged it off, thinking nothing of it, until I got a call later that day.

I picked up my cell, wondering who it could be, since I didn't recognize the number that flashed across the screen.

"Hello?" I said, a little tentatively.

"I'd like to speak to a Mr. Tom Quincy, please," a man on the other end spoke.

"I'm Tom," I said, still confused as to who I was talking to.

"I'm from Judge Wilson's office. I wanted to inform you that a Liam Smythe is suing you for assault and battery, and you're expected to appear in court on the 28th. If you don't have a lawyer to represent you by then, one will be appointed for you, and will be in contact with you soon."

"Thank you," I said politely, while my mind was racing. I was being charged with assault and battery? The nerve of that guy. I knew he was pure evil, but this? I never thought he'd stoop so low as to sue me for trying to protect Jude from being raped. And how was I supposed to save Jude's career, when the money I got for selling my houses, cars, and motorcycle would now be used for court fees? I was way in over my head. There was only one thing I could do to make everything better, but if it went wrong, a lot of people would be in trouble. It was a chance I had to take. I just hoped it would all turn out OK, and that Jude wouldn't be hurt in the process.

AN: I know, another awful cliffhanger, but everything will come out sooner or later. Let me know what you think, OK (just joking, I'm sure you will. At least I know some of you will). To be continued?


	54. Chapter 51

AN: OK, I wrote this days ago, but then changed my mind at least half a dozen times before I was satisfied with it. Let me know if I need to be more descriptive or whatever. I'm tossing the idea of describing how the trial went (way too boring and technical for my tastes).

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I do own Judge Wilson.

Chapter 51:

On the day of the trial, I got ready to go to the courthouse. I'd convinced my lawyer to take the case, and we'd gone over the details of what had happened. Jude would be there to testify about her almost-rape, and her parents would be there for moral support, as well as Sadie, Kwest, Jamie, and Kat. I knew how these things went, since I'd seen stuff like this back in my Boyz Attack days, where I'd watch in the audience, but I'd never been personally involved, until now.

As soon as I got there, and the trial began, I could immediately tell that this trial would end well. I don't remember all the details, but I'll never forget the look on Liam's face when he was shouting, "I'll get you for this, Tommy! You'll pay for what you did to me!" as the guards dragged him away. Someone tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention, and when I turned around, I saw Jude standing there in front of me. She threw her arms around me and whispered, "Thanks, Tommy." I whispered back, "Anytime, Jude."

Jude pulled away, and for a second, I thought I'd done something wrong by the way she was looking at me. "What?" I wondered aloud.

"Nothing, it's just-" Jude paused, a little hesitant. I gave her a look, and she continued. "Usually when I thank you, you always call me girl, but just now-". She trailed off, and I thought she'd never looked more confused.

"Maybe it's time we get past that," I said. "Jude, we've known each other for a few years, and we've worked together so closely for that time. I think you deserve a little more respect. Maybe even enough to be called by your name, and not just a nickname that other guys would use so that they wouldn't confuse the name of the last girl they 'just rolled off of' with the name of the girl they were talking to at the moment." Jude winced, remembering how she'd accused me of that months ago. I reassured her with a glance, and she smiled up at me.

Just then, Sadie made a beeline for her sister, Kwest following in her wake, and put an arm around Jude's shoulders, "Hey, you OK?"

"Yeah, I think I'll live," Jude said, as Sadie guided her over to their parents.

I took the opportunity to talk to Kwest.

"Man, what am I gonna do? I sold my houses and cars so that I could take over G Major, and now I'm back to square one. How am I gonna take over and get Jude back in the studio and back on the charts when I can't even afford a place to stay?" I complained.

"Don't worry, Tommy," Kwest assured me. "You could stay at my place until things back to normal. We can rent out the place for Jude and SME to practice in. They could use my equipment to make bootlegs of Jude's songs, and get her music back out there. It'll be like a party 24/7. Then Darius will hear about how good Jude's getting again, and that money hungry boss of ours will just have to let Jude back in, you included. And the rent money can go towards your 'Buy Darius out' campaign."

"Whoa, wait a sec," I broke in. "What about Sadie? Where'll she stay?" I figured it'd get a little cramped and all, since Kwest had a 4 bedroom house, and now 8 people would be staying there.

"Dude, are you actually asking me that? Sadie'll stay in my room, Jude in yours, and SME can have the other two rooms."

"You think Jude's parents would go for that?" I didn't think they would, at least not Mr. H.

"Don't worry about it. You said yourself that Mrs. H. is OK with you and Jude together." Kwest shrugged it off, but I knew better.

"Yeah, she's fine with us dating. Not living together. And with SME included? It'd be like a cramped tour bus, only it's your house."

"I got it. Look, they were fine with Jude on tour with the guys, and besides, Sadie'll be staying in her room, and you can stay in mine, OK?" Kwest smiled, and I couldn't help but agree with his ingenious plan.

"Fine, but will Jude be OK with it?" I asked.

Seeing Kwest's expression, I knew he hadn't brought it up yet.

"What? You haven't told her?" I was stunned.

"Shh, keep your voice down, man. Don't worry, I know Jude'll go for it. She'll do almost anything to get back into the studio." Kwest paused, then added as an afterthought, "But I won't be the best person to convince her." He looked at me, and I realized what he was getting at.

"Oh no, don't pin it on me, we have a lot of issues to deal with. This'd just be one more that I don't want to worry about," I began, but Kwest cut me off.

"Fine, then. You be the one to break it to her that she won't get to live her dream because you don't have the nerve to push her back on track." Kwest said. I never thought he could be as good a blackmailer as Sadie was. Maybe he'd spent a little too much time with her.

"Fine, but if this blows up in my face, which it will, and Jude tries to knock me senseless, I'll just say that it's all your fault." I struggled to keep the edge out of my voice as Kwest walked away, grinning and rubbing his hands together to show he had no part in it.

A minute later, Jude walked back. She must've noticed the look I had on my face, and said, "What's eating you?"

"Jude," I said, as Jude stared at me, "how would you like to get Darius back for everything he's put you through?"

The look on Jude's face was unforgettable. "Are you serious? What'd you have in mind?"

I quickly filled Jude in on Kwest's plan, and she squealed in excitement and jumped on me. Seconds later, I heard someone clearing their voice behind us, and Jude quickly got off me as we gaped in shock.

"D, what are you doing here?" I was the first to recover.

"Jude crashed my party, so now I'm crashing hers. What's the deal with my right-hand man behind bars?"

I saw Jude's expression and knew she wanted to be a part of the conversation, but I quickly sent her away so Darius and I could talk.

"Your right-hand man tried to rape Jude. Luckily, I was there to protect her, but Liam sued me for assault and battery. Why'd you hire him anyway? It's not like he's good for anything." I said, then cursed myself silently for being so open.

"There's a lot about Liam you don't know. But whatever goes on between you two, it's your business, not mine." Darius said.

"And what exactly is your business?" I repeated again. "You have Liam throw me out of the studio and then sue me for trying to protect the one person you need to keep G Major going strong?"

"Tommy, I told you before," Darius said, clearly annoyed now. "I have a lot of other artists who are every bit as good as Jude is, even more. If Jude doesn't want to play by my rules, there are at least 20 who'd be dying to take her place. Speaking of which, I've decided to let you in on a little secret." He leaned in closer, motioning for me to do the same.

"What's that?" I said.

"I've found the perfect replacement for Jude while she's on break. Someone with crowd appeal and staying power, talent and looks to match." Darius looked extremely pleased with himself.

"Who?" It was my turn to be annoyed.

"Eden," Darius said simply. "She's been in the business longer, knows how to play with the best of them, and would make a great performer on Shay's tour. Plus, she's got connections that you wouldn't believe."

He walked away, chuckling, as I called after him, "D, what do you mean?"

He turned around long enough to say, "You'll find out when you get back." then disappeared into the crowd that was leaving the courtroom. I was left standing there, not knowing what he meant by that.

Kwest came up, with Sadie on his arm, and nodded in the direction that Darius had taken off in. "What's he doing here?"

"No idea, but things are definitely going to change once Jude and I get back to G Major."

AN: As always, let me know what you think, OK?


	55. Chapter 52

Hi guys,

Sorry I haven't been able to post in a long time. I had writer's block for the longest time, and then I decided to write a sequel to this fanfic, which turned out to not be a sequel really, since I have an idea for a better one. I hope you're not too disappointed, but I promise to write it, just as soon as I have the time. As of right now, I'm writing two other fanfics (and taking summer school – yuck! and working part-time), so you can see why I haven't updated in forever. So please wait a few days, after which I'll have wrapped up my current fanfics (you can read them if you want, if you haven't done so already), and then I'll start a new sequel to this fanfic).

Just so you know, I have the beginnings of a storyline for the sequel, and it'll take place a few years down the road. But I haven't decided whether it'll be a Jommy or not yet (even though that's what everyone wants. I hope you guys keep reading in the meantime though. And don't sue me if I can't post by the time I said I would. I'm sure all of us have even busier schedules than we do during the school year (meeting up with friends, going outside instead of staying cooped up in front of a computer, or whatever else people do when they have time off). The point is, I'll try to post ASAP. Just don't bite my head off, OK?

Liz


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